


Discipline

by NrsAmethyst90



Series: Doctor Tora and Nurse Poppy [1]
Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: Casual Sex, Doctor and Nurse, F/M, Falling In Love, Hospital Sex, Nurse - Freeform, Sex, Sexy Time, Spanking, obnoxious Tora, sneaky romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:01:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 72,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23733508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NrsAmethyst90/pseuds/NrsAmethyst90
Summary: Poppy is a nurse... who has to work with one of the most difficult to deal with and demanding doctors, Tora.What happens when all the teasing and a small accident leads to something neither one of them had expected......One shot....All characters belong to Miss Lilydusk for her webcomic MIDNIGHT POPPY LAND.
Relationships: Poppy - Relationship, Poppy/Tora, PoppyTora, Tora - Relationship, Tora/Poppy
Series: Doctor Tora and Nurse Poppy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711936
Comments: 298
Kudos: 365





	1. Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> I DON’T WANT TO FALL IN LOVE- She Wants Revenge 
> 
> TEAR YOU APART- She Wants Revenge 
> 
> SHE’S CASUAL- The Hunna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaking pens, angry doctors, and a sleeping room in the hospital. What else could go wrong?

…....

**_ She  _ ** couldn’t believe she was finally done with nursing school! She was now a legit nurse, with a real nurse job, and real nurse pay—not that it mattered much, since she truly loved helping people—and all the free time to sleep and not worry about homework! Well, when she was  actually at home and not at work, that is.

Poppy dropped her bicycle in one of the many bicycle racks around the hospital, locked it, and headed into the building excitedly. She had completed her computer training, touring of the hospital, and was now ready to start her first day of shadowing one of the nurses on the floor. She waved at the receptionist in the lobby and headed down the hall to one of the break rooms to clock in with her brand-new name tag. It made her stomach flutter whenever she saw it: 

**POPPY W.**

**Registered Nurse**

**XXXXX HOSPITAL**

**RN**

Seeing the big blue card with the letters R and N in white behind the rest of the tags she was wearing made her go into an excited giggling fit when she was getting ready earlier at home. She’d even gone all out on her credit card and pampered herself with a couple new sets of scrubs (even though they were all navy because of hospital policy) and two pairs of shoes. The stethoscope her dad had given her as a graduation present hung around her neck as she made her way up from the break room to find the nursing station she was assigned to.

Nothing could possibly be going wrong today.

.

How wrong she had been.

.

**...one year later... **

“I swear,  Erdene , if Dr. Nishioka comes at me again about lab results for Mr. Lam, I am going to lose it!” 

Erdene , tall, slender, and her lavender hair tied into a high ponytail on her head, shook her head at Poppy. “Sorry, Poppy girl, but he was just leaving the break room when I left the med room.” 

Groaning, Poppy laid her head on her arms for a moment. This was her fourth 12-hr shift, and she was exhausted. Two new admits, would’ve been three but Erdene was kind enough to take care of that one, one discharge, and two possible discharges pending, a couple labs that needed to be run by the doctor, one fake Code Blue, one real Code Blue, and a partridge and a pear tree—and she still had another four hours to go.

Not to mention Dr. Nishioka who seemed to be in a snit. Then again, he always was. If it wasn’t because he was so damn good to look at—when he wasn’t looking, of course—she would’ve asked to be transferred to a different floor. But then that would’ve meant not working with  Erdene and Jacob, and she wasn’t about to do that.  Erdene was her Work Wifey and she needed her like she needed black coffee every morning: desperately.

“I already called lab three times, they’re probably pissed off at me already. The results are not ready yet. Even if it’s urgent, it’s not like they’re magicians and able to magically make the blood samples give them what they want. The doctor needs to calm the hell down.” Poppy groaned as she rubbed her temples and threw her hands into her hair to rub her scalp. She was starting to get a migraine. “It’s not like I can pull the results out of my ass either.”

“If you weren’t sitting on said ass, then maybe we’d have some results.”

Poppy yelped, and looked up, finding Dr. Nishioka standing before her across the counter, a clipboard in his hand and a bored look on his face.

“Oh! Dear  lord! ” Poppy half  gasped, half whispered. She was going to get herself fired for disrespecting a doctor. She swallowed hard, and threw a glance at  Erdene who was staring at the computer screen intently, pretending she was invisible.

The doctor leaned against the counter and raised an eyebrow at her.

Gosh darn it, if he just wasn’t so damn demanding and obnoxious, she would be half in love with him like  the majority of the female staff in the whole damn hospital.

“Are you done cursing me over there?” he asked smoothly, in his dark low voice that haunted Poppy at night, not in a good way, but as she recalled all the rude comments he threw her way.

“Yes, sir.” Poppy replied quietly and could feel her face was hot in embarrassment. “Did you need something else, doctor?”

“I just came to tell you that lab sent me results for Mr. Lam. There are no other changes and he seems to be  quite stable. Are the vitals in  his chart recent?”

“Yes. I took them about a half hour ago. Would you like another set?”

“Hmm. You know, what? Yeah, let’s get some on him before he leaves.”

“Is he getting discharged?

“Yeah, I see no other reason to keep him here now. Blood pressure is well back under control, heart seems stable once more. I just spoke with him and reminded him that he needs to take it slow for a couple days, no crazy work schedules anymore unless he wants to come back for a visit.” Dr. Nishioka handed Poppy the papers he had been reading from. “We can shred those since the results are already in the system. I started the discharge paperwork, signed whatever was needed. Is there anything else you need from me?”

Poppy thought for a moment. “Not unless there’s any new medication you might need him on?”

“I already spoke to him about his blood pressure medication.”

“Okay, then I’ll just have admin bring up whatever other paperwork they need.”

“Alright,” The doctor turned to leave but stopped and stared at Poppy for a second. She glanced around and realized he was watching her, and felt her face heat up again.

“Sir?”

“You have ink on your temple, right there,” he pointed to her right ear which she touched and when she moved her hand back saw there was black ink on her fingers. She groaned and looked down at the pen she had been holding before he’d appeared. It was leaking.

“Dammit.” She sighed and got up to go find some wipes, only to realize that the pen had leaked all over her scrub top. She dropped her hands and looked at the doctor. “Anything else?”

“No. Just thought I'd let you know.” He turned and started walking away with a wave of his hand. “Thanks!”

Poppy pouted and tried to calm herself down. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. She almost wanted to scream at someone. Jacob popped up at the station just then from lunch.

“Does anyone else need something from me before I go to lunch?” Poppy asked around the station and the other three nurses shook their heads. “I’ll be back in a while.” 

What a fucking day.

.

** Poppy  ** ended up heading up to the 5 th floor break room to grab another scrub top to change into.

She took it and headed to one of the sleeping rooms to lay down for a minute. Usually, they were reserved for the doctors, since most of them would do more than 12-hr shifts, especially when they were on surgery call. She tried to nap on the couches, but she desperately needed to be in the dark because her headache had moved on to a migraine now, and the light was killing her.

She stood in the middle of the room, in front of the tall mirror that had been placed there on the wall as she started to pull the soiled scrub top over her head... and the door clicked open. She gasped and turned around, arms still in the air, to find none other than Dr. Nishioka standing in the doorway, eyes wide.

His eyes dropped to her full breasts on display in her balconette pink bra and she screamed.

A couple things happened then... Poppy freaked out and tried to pull her arms out of the sleeves but couldn’t. She managed only to bring the scrub top around her face, stuck her arms in place even more, and tripped over her own shoes that she’d removed since she was going to climb into the bed provided. 

Dr. Nishioka gasped, seeing that she was falling over and would be hitting the wall, he raced over and pulled her over the other way, pushing her so she fell onto the bed instead, himself tripping over her shoes on the floor and landing on top of her.

“Oof!” Poppy gasped again as she felt the heavy body falling on top of her. She was expecting the hard surface behind her back as she hit the floor, not the heavy weight on top of her. She managed to pull her arms out of the top … along with the top itself and stared straight up at Dr. Nishioka who was looking just as confused and out of breath as she was.

She whimpered.

** Tora  ** Nishioka wasn’t one to get flustered easily. He ran a tight ship, at least he thought so, and liked things to be done as neatly and quickly as possible. Maybe he was a little OCD, but sometimes the profession called for it, and having to deal with a bunch of patient information and their health was not something to be careless with.

He was thirty-seven, been working at the hospital for about four years now, had a good clean patient record, and he planned to keep it that way. 

He wasn’t easily flustered, scared, or distracted.

Except...

He looked down at the pale woman lying under him. Her light brown hair all over her face as it has spilled out of the bun she’d worn earlier. She sputtered and spit as she tried to get her hair out her mouth, and her arms out of her top where they were stuck in. She yanked her arms out of the top and her eyes snapped up to his... wide, scared, surprised and really confused.

She whimpered.

“Whoa, whoa, you’re okay,” he said as he moved her hair out of her face and her lips dropped open slightly as she continued to stare at him, the look on her face reminding him of a deer in the headlights.

“I- I...” she was still breathing heavily from all the flailing she had done and his eyes dropped to her ample chest once more, watching the way that she flushed and it reached her chest as well. Who would’ve thought that his pretty nurse could be hiding such a body underneath those scrub tops?

Without thinking, he reached out and traced a finger on the top part of her breath, watching the way that goosebumps quickly covered her skin as she shivered. Her arms laid on the mattress on either side of her head.

“What a-are you doing?” she whispered then, but she didn’t make a sign to move.

“I didn’t know...” he started and looked up at her face, finding her frowning in confusion.

“Didn’t know?” Why was she whispering?

He smiled crookedly and her eyes widened again. “That you were hiding this body under all those scrubs. You’re beautiful.”

She bit her lip, and he knew that she wanted to say something, but chose not to.

“You’re quite short,” he started as he lifted himself up on one elbow and continued to trace his finger along her collarbone, her breast, between them, and down her soft stomach. She didn’t sport abs like some women he’d seen that seemed to be obsessed with exercising, but she wasn’t  _ fat _ . She was soft, smooth, and he thought about a painting he’d seen once—Alexander  Cabanel’s “Birth of Venus”.

“Well, that’s rude,” she snapped and reached out to grab his arms.

“But your body doesn’t seem to be lacking,” he concluded with a grin and he watched a rush of emotions go through her. Distrust, confusion... was that lust?

“I don’t understand...” she whispered slowly. He watched her lick her lips nervously, and he nearly groaned because he could  definitely imagine those lips somewhere else. "Are you still mad at me?”

His eyebrows raised. “I’m still debating it.”

She looked away for a moment, “So, what are we doing?” she asked again, and he could feel her hands clutching his arms still.

“I’m not quite sure. Whatever you want, I suppose.” His hand had stopped and lingered on the spot beneath her left breast, and he couldn’t help but notice the bud of her hardened nipple through the bra she wore. He was really itching to see what color they were... and given the tone of her skin color and the color of her lips, he wagered a soft puckered pink.

And he couldn’t help but reached up and rest his open palm over her breast, watching her close her eyes and give a low moan.

“Oh my god, what are you doing to me?” she whispered as her eyes snapped open again to look at him. His own eyes had darkened, that odd golden color turning brighter, wicked.

“Believe me, I don’t know either... but do you want to stop?” he rasped out and he tried to shuffle over, his hips hitting her own and he stopped.

“Oh ho  ho ... Is that a flashlight or are you just happy to see me?” she asked with a giggle and she wiggled her hips slightly again, feeling the obvious hardness of his body pushing against her. Who would have thought that this man—harsh and cold—would be doing this with her.

“Oh, very happy to see you,” he said through gritted teeth. “You better stop with all that hip wiggling unless you know what you’re doing, Poppy. Because if you don’t stop, I’m not going to.”

She grinned widely and wiggled her hips again.

He groaned softly and his hands came up to clench her wrists and hold them on either side of her head again.

“You’re playing with fire, Poppy.” He said darkly, his tiger eyes burning into hers. She bit her lips slowly and stared right back. “You can’t handle me.”

“I’ve worked with you for a year now, Dr. Nishioka. It seems I can handle you just fine,” she replied before she could think of what she was saying and watched him look surprised... and pleased.

“You’re just a kid,” he said, but was kissing her neck already. “You’re too young for an old, burnt out soul like me.” He sat up, pulling her with him as he reached behind her back and undid her bra, watching with dark eyes as it fell, revealing her rounded breasts with its pink tips. He was right. 

“I’m twenty-six.” She threw her arms around his waist, her hands going straight to his skin under his own scrub top. She was surprised when she reached around the front and ran her hands up his front and found... “Abs!” she  exclaimed and he laughed as he reached for his top and pulled it off.

“You sound happy about that!” 

“I am. A lot. WOW.” Somebody give her a bucket because she was drooling. Abs, this man who claimed to be old had abs. She moaned giddily. And tattoos. She sat up straighter, sitting back on her knees and stared at him. There were flowers and koi and nearly full sleeves of beautiful inky art on both his arms. Hot damn. “Who would’ve thought...”

He reached over and pulled her close to  him so she was flushed against him. He grinned down at her and for a moment, she saw a young, boyish man before her instead of the gruff man she usually worked with.

“That underneath all that gruff, bossy and nerdy exterior was...you,” she explained as she threw her arms around his neck.

“I’m a nerd?” He chuckled at that. “Says you with the mismatched, crazy cat-lady socks.”

“It’s a style. And  so what if I’m a nerd? At least I got brains!” she pouted and moaned when he dropped his head, his mouth fusing to hers. She clung to his him, digging her hands in his hair as she pulled him closer. She sighed when his tongue reached out to search for hers, and she gladly let him find it. He was warm, hard, and all male against her. Hot damn, she hadn’t felt this wanted since the time she had first started dating her ex-boyfriend Julri. She had thought he was cute until she found him half naked in his bed with another girl. The doctor pulled back for a breather, “If I didn’t have brains, you wouldn’t want me working with you. You’d be stuck with... with Jacob!”

“Nah. I enjoy working with you. And call me Tora.”

“Tora?”

“That’s my name, isn’t it?” he flipped her again on to her back, crawling over her once more. “Call me Tora, Poppy.” His mouth moved down to take a pink  nipple into his mouth and she groaned, grabbing his hair harder than she intended. The way his tongue moved against the hardened bud sent electric shocks to the area between her legs. Shit! She hadn’t been this... excited since....

Ever, actually.

“Come on,” she felt him pull back and reach for the tie of her pants. She helped him by raising her hips and letting him pull them down her legs along with her underwear. And then, she laid there, naked for his eyes to check her out. “Wow.”

“Well, you do know I’m on a timed break right...?”

“Fuckin’ hell.” Tora undid his pants quickly, kicking them off to the side as he climbed over her again, coming to rest between her warm thighs. 

“Oh shit!” she gasped when she felt his hard erection resting on her stomach. She looked down between them as he lifted his hips slightly and she gaped. “Whoa.”

“Approve?”

“I definitely approve! Dr. Ni-shi-oka.” She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows. He dropped his mouth onto hers again, plunging his tongue in between her lips and tasting that watermelon gum she favored. Her hands reached down and clasped his cock, running them along the hard shaft and squeezing. He moved his hips against hers and she pumped him with her fisted hands. 

Resting on her, he kept his mouth on hers while he dropped one hand to her breast and her other to between her legs, very pleased to find her wet and hot. He slid one of his fingers against her clit before dipping down and slipping his finger inside her. She cried out, letting go of his erection momentarily as he pumped his finger inside her slowly.

“Oh god, oh god! Tora!” she  gasped and he watched her start to writhe and move under him.

“All this year, you’ve been kind of a brat, you know,” he said and she opened her eyes to look at him confusedly.

“W-what?”

He slipped a second finger inside of her and felt her pussy clench. “A brat. You’ve been a brat. You act like a brat. You like to talk back. That mouth of yours surprises me every single day.”

“I’m sorry?” She moaned and closed her eyes, letting her body ride on the waves of pleasure he was making her feel. 

“That didn’t sound sorry.” He begun to slip a third finger inside slowly, stopping only when she winced slightly and asked that he slowed down. “You’re blunt, you’re loud, and yet... I don’t know what it is about you that calms me down.”

“I don’t mean to be rude.”

“But you’re not rude. That’s the thing. And you’re honest, while everyone walks on eggshells around me. I can count on you to always tell me straight up what a jerk I'm being.”

“Oh god...” She gasped when he finally slipped that third finger inside. “OH SHIT. Tora, Tora!”

He flipped her over on to her stomach and pushed her head down onto the pillow. “Did your parents ever discipline you?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m a good girl.”

“A good girl? With  your ass in the air and naked with the doctor you work with?” he  chuckled and she looked back at him.

“You started it.” She groaned when she felt the sting of his hand on her bottom. “Oh my god.”

“That’s for your sass.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered in between gasps when she felt his fingers tracing her pussy again, and then the sting of another sharp spank on her other cheek. “Ooh!”

“That’s for the times you’ve called me a jerk.” He watched the way that the shape of his hand started appearing on her skin. He couldn’t help it and slipped his finger inside her wet pussy and groaned himself when he felt how hot it was.

He slapped her bottom again. “That was for the time that you said you’d break my fingers if I snapped my fingers at you again,” he growled and she cried out, hiding her face in the pillow. 

“That’s because you were being a real dick, and you pissed me off!”

He dropped his hands to her waist and pulled her towards him, kneeling on the edge of the bed as he finally thrusted home. She moaned loudly, squirming under his hands as she tried to push against him. He’d had enough and  starting pushing against her, slipping out almost entirely before slamming home again.

She wailed, now holding herself on her hands and elbows as she tried to push against him. 

“Oh, my god. Oh my god!! Tora!” 

It hit her for a moment that anyone could come into the break room at any moment and hear her screams. The sound of their bodies slapping against each other was deafening in her ears. She was sure they could hear that outside the small Sleeping Room as well.

“Nobody has ever spoken back to me the way you do,” he huffed as he continued to slam against her. He pulled her up enough so that he could hold her breasts in his hands and pull her against him. The way that he  bottom wiggled and jiggled every time he pushed against her was going to be forever engraved in his mind.

“I don’t mean... to be...Ah!... Rude!”

“You’re a Goddess...Look at you. Look at you all pink and wet and hot...Goddamn, Poppy! You’re so tight! What have you done to me!?”

“I don’t know! Nothing! I don’t mean to do anything!” She wailed when he hit a particularly sensitive spot inside her making her eyes roll back in her head. He tugged at her nipples, pinching them slightly and she threw her hands over his, moaning happily. Each pinch and pull of his fingers on her nipples sent another electric shock to her pussy, and she could already feel her juices seeping out and sliding down her thighs. Jeez! “I’m going to be late from... my break!”

“Well, we’d better hurry then.”

She squealed when he flipped her over  again, and came back to rest between her legs. He pushed one of her legs back against her chest as he opened her up for him and quickly slid home again. it was so strange watching him move above her. The stoic doctor that everyone feared, moving in a way she could have only possibly ever imagined. Over her, in her. He leaned down and took her mouth again, teeth clashed as they found their rhythm and she sucked his tongue into her mouth.

Well, what do you know? The nerdy doctor sure knew how to kiss.

She felt him reach between and start to rub circles on her clit. She began muttering nonsense. She threw her hands around his neck, to his head as she clenched her fingers in his silky black hair that had slipped from its confinement in the half bun he usually wore. If this was a dream, she didn’t want to wake up from it.

He watched her breasts bouncing every time he pushed home, and he figured he was probably being too rough on her, but she hadn’t complained yet, so he pushed the thought aside. He lifted his head slightly watching her face... pink and sweating, eyes shut, mouth half open and bruised from his kisses. She wailed and threw her head back, back arching and saw her come apart in his arms. She was crying out again and again, and  it drove him crazy.

He began slamming against her harder, faster. His thrusts were deeper, trying to find that spot, feeling her walls clench around him, squeezing him. He continued to rub at her clit, watching the way  her body reacted, writhed beneath him.

He could feel it himself, could feel the way his body tensed with the need to come. 

And then he did, pushing himself hard and deep inside her and poured himself inside her.

He groaned and held her hips against the mattress and he felt his cum pour out, felt immense satisfaction, animalistic satisfaction in the way that he was  _ marking  _ her with his cum. And felt as her body continued to shiver under his and his joined her in doing the same.

.

“I’m going to be so late.”

“Relax for a moment.”

“I can’t. I have ten minutes before I have to clock back in.” Poppy said as she jumped from the bed and started pulling on her clothes. She stopped before she pulled on her underwear and Tora handed her the box of tissues from the bedside table. She turned away from him shyly, and cleaned herself quickly, trying to remove the proof of her tryst from her, before pulling on her underwear up and around her hips.

She fixed her bra, threw on her scrub top and went looking for her shoes. She eyed him and saw that he was still studying her.

“Don’t you have to go back, too?”

“I’m on lunch,” he said with a soft smile. “You should stay with me.”

“Yeah... See, I’m not a doctor... Soo...” She slipped her shoes on and tried to fix her hair back into a bun. She was going to need to throw some water on it because she was sure it looked like a rat’s nest. “I’ll get in trouble if I'm late.”

“Not if you’re with me you won’t.”

“Yes, if they find me with you like that,” she pointed at him who simply grinned and crossed his arms behind his head. She dropped her gaze and looked away before adding, “Can... Can I please ask that we don’t talk about this with anyone? I don’t want to get in trouble, or get fired.”

Tora frowned and came to stand by her, watching her tense when she felt him behind her.

“Do you really think I’m like that?”

“I suppose I don’t really know what you’re like,” she started slowly, still refusing to look at him.

He sighed and threw his arms around her waist, pulling her towards him, as he rested his chin on her head.

“Don’t worry about it, Poppy. I’m not that much of an asshole.”

“Thanks.” He felt her sigh in relief and relax against him. “But I really do have to go.”

He chuckled and turned her around, giving her a thorough kiss before he let her go. He gave her a pat on her bottom that had her frowning at him.

“Watch it, mister.”

She grinned at him and started towards the door. “Thanks... Tora.”

“Any time, Poppy.”

And he didn’t know why, but the way that she smiled at him made his heart jump. She’d smiled at him before, but this time it felt different. 

“I’ll see you later.”

“You should really stay a little longer,” he commented as he dragged on his boxers. 

“I could, but you see, I have this doctor that I work with,” she teased and gave him a wide grin. “He’s kind of OCD, loud, a little obnoxious...”

“Sounds like a big dick.”

Poppy blushed but smile either way. “Has one...” and slipped out, leaving Tora grinning to himself.

.

Later, when Poppy had returned to the station from lunch, Tora came over and brought some papers for her to look at. How she managed to act like nothing was wrong, and not blush was beyond her.

Tora pointed at her scrub top. “Same top?”

Poppy glanced down at herself and saw that she was still wearing her ink stained scrub top. 

“Dammit. I forgot.”

“I thought you were going to change it,” Jacob pointed out as he got ready to go see a patient.

“Yeah, wasn’t that why you left for lunch?”  Erdene asked as she looked at Poppy from behind her C.O.W. by the counter.

Tora eyed Poppy who blushed and shrugged. 

“I completely forgot.”

“How? That’s what you went for.”

“I was busy,” Poppy shrugged again and shot Tora a look.

“She’s a little forgetful some days,” he commented and  Erdene looked at him. “Like the vitals on Mr. Lam I asked her about earlir.”

Poppy smacked her hand to her forehead. “Damn! That’s what I couldn’t remember!”

She grabbed her stethoscope and headed down the hallway. She was about to go into the room when she noticed the writing on the papers Tora had handed her.

** Meet me in the parking lot after work. I’ll give you a ride home- T. **

Really? She felt her heart skip as she smiled at the squiggly writing on the paper.

“Anything a problem, Poppy?”

She glanced back at Tora who stood a couple doors down, stethoscope around his neck and another set of paperwork on his clipboard.

“No, sir. I just remember that I'm getting a ride after work.”

His lip twitched, and he smirked.

“Well, a ride is always good. Make sure that you’re not late then.”

“I won’t be. Thanks.”

They looked at each for a moment before they ducked into their respective rooms, Tora with a huge smirky grin on his face... “Knock knock! Hello I’m Dr. Nishioka!...”

Poppy smiled to herself and thought about how great of a day it was.

Her last day before she was off for the next three days...

“Hi Mr. Lam, I’m back for another set of vitals...”

Two and a half more hours until she was off...

Oh. And her migraine was gone.

Weird.


	2. Pizza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because you guys asked for it!!!  
> Here's the aftermath of that car ride home ;)  
> .....................  
> ALL CHARACTERS OBVIOUSLY BELONG TO LILYDUSK.  
> .....................

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ODE TO MY FAMILY- The Cranberries  
> EMPTY- The Cranberries
> 
> FREE ANIMAL- Foreign Air  
> SHE TASTES LIKE SUMMER- Spilt Milk Society

**….**

**“Hey** , Pops, do you want a ride home today?” 

Poppy shook her head and glanced back at Erdene. “Not today. Someone offered me a ride back already.” 

“Oh, really? May I ask who that is?” Erdene grabbed her bag out of the locker and turned back to Poppy who was blushing and had an odd smile on her face. “Alright, spill it.” 

“I... No one in particular. I’ll see what happens and tell you later?” 

Erdene squinted at her and tapped her finger to her chin. “Girl, you’re being oddly suspicious. I’m going to wait, and don’t think that I'll forget about it! I’ll bug you until you tell me.” 

“I know, I know.” Poppy grinned as she got her own bag out of her locker. 

Her tall friend came over and gave her a hug. “Be safe... Also, is he like totally hot? Tell me he’s totally hot! That’s all I need to know to calm my nerves!” Poppy thought a moment about Tora as he moved above her, slamming his hips into hers, just hours before. 

“Definitely hot.” Poppy said with a blush as she hugged her friend back. Erdene squealed happily. 

“So nice! I will definitely need to know!” she said excitedly as they took the elevator down to the first floor. Erdene got off on the first floor and waved at Poppy to have a good couple days off. Poppy took the elevator down to the basement parking lot where the providers parked. 

She got out and stood to the side, waiting to see if Tora popped up anywhere. She glanced at her phone and checked to see if there were any messages from him. She was still glancing at her phone when she felt someone kiss her softly on her ear. 

“Holy!—What was that for?” she yelped and turned around to see Tora standing there, arms up. He grinned at her. 

“Sorry? I thought you heard me call you? I said your name a couple times.” He took in the frazzled look on her face, and took her hand in his, squeezing it softly while she calmed down. “Where you waiting long?” 

“No. I just dropped Erdene off in the first floor and got off the elevator.” She tried not to feel awkward, tried to keep their conversation going like they normally would. Except nothing was normal now. Especially not since lunch... She saw what he was wearing then—faded jeans that fitted him very well, a Mockingbird t-shirt, and he’d thrown on a black zip up hoodie on top of all that. 

He definitely did not resemble the serious, professional doctor that everyone knew upstairs. 

“Do I look funny?” he asked in a teasing tone as they started walking across the parking lot. 

“N-no.” 

“Then what’s with the face?” he grinned at her as he stuck his hands in his pocket. 

“It’s just that I’ve never seen you outside out of your scrubs,” she commented as she followed him. He chuckled as they came to a black car and he looked at her. 

“Sweetheart, you’ve seen me out of my scrubs.” 

Poppy sputtered, turning bright pink, when it hit her what he’d meant. 

“You know what I mean!” she mumbled and stood back as he unlocked the car. “Whoa.” 

It was a very nice car. Then again, he was a doctor and obviously making more money than she was. She took in the black Mercedes with chromed trim, and the shiny three-prong circle at the hood. 

“Come on, climb in.” He told her as he slipped into the driver’s side. 

She climbed into the passenger side seat, staring wide eyed at the details, the wide tablet-like screen in the dashboard and its additional silver trimmed-details. 

“Not very flashy. You’re a very _simple_ man, I can see.” She teased as she looked back at the backseat with its black leather coverings. She turned back to look at him and found him staring at her. “What?” 

“Just admiring the sight,” he murmured as he leaned against the doorway so he could look at her. She sat back slowly, taking in the look on his face. 

“Thanks?” 

“Do you always sound so unsure of yourself? I might be a dick sometimes, but I'm not a liar,” he mentioned as he took her hand in his, turning it in his and studying all the little curves of her hand. “Your hand is so tiny. You look so tiny, but you’re not entirely.” She could feel her face heat up and if he kept talking, she would spontaneously combust. “I like it.” 

“I’m just...trying to figure out what’s happening? I’m still trying to absorb what happened earlier, too.” She laughed nervously and cocked her head at him. “I... I’m not entirely sure what happened. I’m still rather confused.” 

“Well, I think it was bound to happen eventually,” he explained. “I don’t know about you but thinking back to what’s been going for the last year or so, it’s been a back and forth game between us.” 

She frowned and thought for a moment. 

“So, you’re attracted to a girl that promises to break your fingers?” 

He laughed. “I don’t know how about physical harm—” 

“Then what was with all the spanking earlier?” Poppy burst and clapped her other hand to her mouth. 

“I’m not sure. It just came over me,” he said slowly. He looked confused for a moment as well. “Hmm. You make do things and think about things that I wouldn’t have otherwise done or thought about before,” he said and watched her reaction. 

“Meaning?” Because she doubted that was the first time that he’d probably had a quickie with someone at work. He seemed to know what he had been doing. She didn’t mention it though, because she didn’t want to sound petty, and because it wasn’t any of her business what he’d done with whom or when. 

“You look confused. Did you want to ask me something?” She shook her head at him and looked away. “Alright, I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that you think I do that all the time.” 

“ _That_ meaning?” 

“You think I'm wandering around the hospital having clandestine hook-ups with other staff.” 

She didn’t respond. 

“But I’m not. Like I said, I might be a dick, but I am not a liar. I hope you believe me, Poppy.” 

“It really shouldn’t matter what I think, Tora. Whatever happened, happened. Who am I to judge you?” she looked down at their entwined hands between them. “I’m just a nurse—” 

“Don’t say that. You know my life would be absolutely horrible if you weren’t there to help me. Contrary to what you probably think, I do appreciate you working with me. Thank god, it’s you and not some of the other girls.” He smirked. “Or Jacob. He’s a nice guy, but I swear, sometimes I wonder if there’s a missing bolt up in there.” 

“He’s nice,” Poppy argued and looked up at Tora. 

“Utterly scared of pressure.” 

“He’s... nice.” Poppy paused because she really couldn’t argue against that one. 

“Come here,” Tora said and pulled her over to him, holding her head with his giant hand as he kept her in place. She sighed when his lips touched her, slipping over each other, and just molding to her own. He didn’t try to deepen it, just kissed her softly and then pulled back with a smile. “What are you thinking about now?” 

“I’m not thinking about anything.” 

“I can see the cogs turning up in there,” he tapped her forehead softly. “Your facial expressions are a giveaway. I can always tell when you’re upset, happy, or angry. It’s entertaining watching you get angry—your eyes get bright and your sass level rises. Have you noticed that I tend to keep away from you when you’re upset?” he asked her as she stared back at him... Eyes widened soon after when she realized it was true. 

“Oh my god, you do!” she said with a laugh. “I am so sorry. Wow.” 

He smiled at her, and it was so strange, the way that her heart pitter pattered when he smiled at her. He rarely smiled at work, unless he was speaking with a patient. He always seemed to keep more to himself than with other people. He had the female staff eating out of his hand and even some of the male providers. Everyone loved him. 

What were the odds that it was _her_ currently sitting in his slick Mercedes Benz? 

“Alright, so where do you want to go? Are you hungry? I, for one, am starving. I didn’t get to eat anything today.” He started reversing out of the parking spot. Poppy smiled to herself, she wondered if it was because of what had occurred between them. Then she remembered something... 

“Actually, I didn’t get to eat anything earlier either...” she smiled softly at him when he smirked back at her. 

“We can go to my house We can order some pizza, maybe watch something on TV...” 

“Okay, sounds good.” 

He drove them to his house. 

. 

**“Wow.”**

Poppy stepped out of the car and stared at the house in front of her. Tora walked around the car and stood next to her. “Welcome to my humble abode,” he said and watched as Poppy bit her lip nervously. “What’s wrong?” 

“I don’t usually do this, you know,” she started and gave him a look. “Meaning, I don’t usually just leave with guys to their homes.” 

“Well, I’m not just _some_ guy. We’ve known each other for a year now,” Tora explained. “I’d like to think that we’ve now formed some… kind of bond at least.” 

“Is that what it is? I keep thinking of intentions. And if it could possibly lead to a deteriorating work relationship.” Sometimes her brain wouldn’t shut up. 

“We don’t have to do anything. I just thought it would be a good way to de-stress after today’s shift.” He shook his head softly. “No bad intentions, Poppy. Think of friends hanging out.” 

“Hmm. Okay, I suppose. Alright.” 

“Alright, come on now.” He led her up the driveway, up the front steps and to the big red door. It amused her that he pointed out things like the water fountain in the front yard, the flowing willow tree on the other side that he said his best friend had fought over so that he didn’t take it down. He was unlocking the door when they heard a meow and Poppy glanced over to the other side of the porch where a fluffy white cat stood. It meowed again and Poppy made to move to touch it. 

“Aww! That’s a cute kitty! Is it yours?” 

“Hell no!” Tora looked at the cat and scowled. “That right there is, D.S. Or P.C.” 

“Diez? Like the number ten?” Poppy asked. “Why a number?” 

Tora chuckled. “Not _diez_ _,_ D and S.” 

“What’s that stand for?” 

“Devil’s Spawn.” Tora glared at the cat who simply started licking its paw. 

Poppy giggled and looked back at the cat. “I’m sure that he’s not that bad. All cats are a little weird.” 

“Yeah, well that cat right there is a little piece of shit.” The cat stopped licking its paws and stared at him intently. “He likes to wander around my yard and jumps at me when I’m passing by. That’s why he’s P.C., Psycho Cat.” 

“Surely, he’s not _that_ bad,” Poppy said again and leaned over to pet the cat who hissed and lashed out at her immediately, making her yelp and fall back on her ass. “Eek!” 

“Hey! Get off my porch, you psycho creep! Go get run over by a car or something! Shoo!” Tora waved his hands at the cat who hissed once more and jumped off the porch. Tora pulled Poppy to her feet. “Are you okay?” 

She started laughing. “Yes. Oh my god, you weren’t kidding.” 

“No. That little shit has been a thorn at my side since my neighbors brought it home two years ago,” Tora who was holding on to Poppy’s hand pulled her towards the door. “Come on,” he pulled her softly inside and shut the door behind her. “Welcome to my crib.” 

“ **You** know, this wasn’t what I was expecting from you,” Poppy sat on one of the tall stools at the kitchen counter as she watched Tora put the pizza in the oven. She bit her lip to keep from giggling as she ogled his well-rounded bottom as he bent down to get something from a low cupboard. 

“What did you expect?” he handed her a San Pellegrino and a tall glass. 

“I don’t know. Less posters of Marvel and DC comics on the walls. Thanks.” She popped her drink and grinned at him. “I guess I was right when I called you a nerd.” 

“Says the girl with the vocabulary like a dictionary.” He leaned against the counter on his elbows as he stared at her. He couldn’t help but notice the way that she looked so relaxed, so unlike her usual frazzled look at work. It always amused him how she’d come to work with her hair in a neat braid or neat bun, but by the time a couple hours had passed, she could very well pose as a model for messy buns. One time, he had been walking down the hallway from his office when he’d seen her standing in front of her C.O.W., a serious look on her face as she read something on the screen. She sighed in frustration and began pulling her hair into a high bun on top of her hair and resumed clicking on the keyboard. He’d stopped next to her and commented on how she looked like she meant business. She’d frowned and asked him what he meant. ‘Your hair. You had it down and just put it into a _very_ high bun.’ 

She’d blushed, said ‘shut up', and he’d kept on walking away grinning to himself. 

“You should be happy that about my vocabulary. If I didn’t have it, who would proofread all those charts of yours?” 

“I’m not that bad.” 

“Uh huuuh.” 

“Alright, alright.” He grinned and they continued sipping their drinks. He noticed that she was still in the same scrubs she’d been wearing for the last 14 hours. “Hey, did you want like a shirt or something to change into?” 

“What?” 

“Your scrubs, I’m sure you want to get out of them.” 

“Umm, yeah. But I don’t have anything with me right now.” She appeared a bit hesitant and was probably wondering what he meant by asking her about her scrubs. 

“Let me get you one of my shirts,” he said and waited for her to say no. “That way you can at least change into a different top.” 

“You really don’t have to!” she said worriedly. 

“Nonsense. It’s fine really.” She watched him walk away quickly and turn at the hallway. He didn’t long to return and hand her one of his shirts that felt extra big in her hands. He showed her the bathroom where she could change or the room. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think any of my sweatpants would fit you.” 

“That’s fine, no worries,” she assured him and went to the bathroom to change. 

She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Big eyes, tiny nose, and her hair! It was crazy! Was that really how she’d been wandering around for the last couple hours? She slipped her stained scrub top over her head and caught herself in the mirror—there was a red hickey on the top of her left breast. She watched her cheeks turn pink at the memory of how that came to be. With a small sigh, she threw pulled on his shirt over her head and turned back to the mirror. Its hem fell to her knees, and frankly, she looked ridiculous with the giant shirt and pants. 

What did she want today? What could happen between now and whenever she left his house? It wasn’t like they hadn’t screwed each other silly at the hospital, so the question was more along the lines of what was it she wanted? 

It was simple. _Him_. 

So, she kicked off her pants and folded them along with her top. She finger-brushed her tresses and washed off any kind of exhaustion from her face with cool water to wake her up as well. She fought a moment of panic, but managed to calm herself down as she told herself she was fine. 

“You’re good, Poppylan! You got this. You want this, go out and get it. Obviously, he is into you as well,” she pumped herself in the mirror, “Except of course, if you’re reading this all wrong and you could make a fool out of yourself... Oh god.” 

She was being ridiculous, being so hard on herself. Poppy did a couple squats to get her tension out, as well as touched her toes a couple times... Then stopped and laughed to herself because dammit!—she was acting as if she was getting ready for a marathon, not just eating pizza. With a last look at herself in the mirror, she got her scrubs and padded back to the kitchen where she found Tora pulling out some plates from the cupboard. 

“ _Um_ , where can I put my scrubs for a moment?” 

“Oh, you can just put it on the couch some—” he glanced back at her and did a double take because Poppy was standing in the doorway wearing nothing but his t-shirt. It fell to her knees, and he could still the soft rise of her breasts underneath it. She held her uniform neatly folded on her hands, and her face was flushed pink. He set the plates back on the cupboard and turned around to lean against the counter so he could watch her. “Well.” 

“Uh.” 

Her show of legs was doing something to him. He swallowed hard... he just remembered how they’d felt wrapped around him earlier. Shit. “Come here.” 

Poppy’s heart was racing as she walked over to stand in front of him. He took her scrubs and placed them on the counter behind him, then turned back to her and dropped his hands to her waist. He had a winsome smile on his face as he took in her appearance, as he ran his hands down her waist to her hips and felt that she did in fact still have her underwear on. 

“So... I thought that I looked ridiculous with the shirt one and pants, it just looked awkward, so I figured, ‘why not’, and took them off as well. I hope that I don—” 

He pressed her a finger to her lips with a grin. “Poppy, you’re rambling.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“No need to apologize. Are you nervous?” he asked because he knew her, knew how she would start rambling when she was nervous, like now. 

“No.” She could feel her face heating up. Darn her light skin! “Yes?” 

“I’m not going to do anything you don’t want to do. I did say we were going to have pizza and a movie. I meant it. I’m not so...” he tried to figure out the right word, “So... needy? No. A complete douche. I can also have conversations without trying to get into your pants.” 

Poppy dropped her gaze to the design on his shirt. He was so different from work. 

“I know. I just... Don’t know what we’re doing exactly. I know I'm repeating myself here, but I'm kind of in shock from earlier,” she confessed with a nervous laugh as she tilted her head back to look up at him. 

“Sweetheart,” he pulled her to him, staring down at her wide eyes, her flushed cheeks. She just had to go and be so darn cute. Had she always been this pretty? “Same here. But I don’t regret it.” 

“Hmm. Okay.” She was clinging on to his waist, leaning against his body and enjoying the smell of whatever deodorant or cologne he used. It made her want to snuggle her face into his shirt and sleep there. She looked back up again when she felt a slight tug on her hair and saw Tora looking down at her. On her tiptoes, she stretched so she could meet him halfway for a kiss. 

She sighed the moment her lips met his. It wasn’t a hard kiss, or anything that would have indicated more, but it made her inside twist in a good way. She opened her mouth to his warm lips as they moved over hers, softly biting into her lower lip and sucking it into his mouth. Someone moaned when their tongues met, and Poppy clenched her hands into his shirt as one of his hands dropped to hold her butt, the other clenched in her hair holding her in place. There was something just... _right_ about the way their bodies just melded together. It made her forget about everything around her, about any kind of doubt she’d had regarding herself, about him. 

He tasted like the lemonade drink he’d been sipping from earlier. Tasted like Tora, and it was something she hadn’t realized that she’d been missing before, and didn’t think she could go without now. He lips lifted for a moment, gasping in deep breaths as they trailed down the side of her neck, then back up to her ear, making her giggled and he looked up at her. 

“I’m... It’s just that, it feels good.” She blushed and licked her lips, “When you kissed me there, on my ear, it literally gave me chills. Look.” She raised her arm for him to see and he grinned. Goosebumps were all over her arm, and if that’s what it did to her arms, he wondered about... 

“I see.” They were moving way too fast again. But dammit! It was so difficult to move slow with her. The feel of her pouty lips and whatever lip balm she used—strawberries?— made his head swim and want more. He wanted to eat her alive. Wanted to lick and bite and hear those dizzy little sounds that she made and made his head swim. 

Tora squeezed her butt cheek, thankful that he hadn’t really paid attention to it before, or that he hadn’t seen her in anything outside of scrub pants before because he didn’t think he would’ve been able to keep his hands off. For such a short person, she had curves in all the right places, and he’d been thinking about the way they’d wiggled every time he’d pounded into her from behind earlier. And fucking hell, he wanted to do it all over again. They had time this time around, all the fucking time in the world. He knew she was off tomorrow and the next two days after that. He could fucking keep her here in his house, in his bed, underneath him for three days straight. 

The thought of doing so send all his blood rushing to his cock, making him groan, and making him pull her harder, closer to his front so she could feel all of him. 

She gasped and clenched at his hips. 

“I know I said that I wasn’t just planning to get into your pants...” he murmured against her lips as he kissed her again, sucking, licking, fucking tangling her tongue with his. “But—” 

“You did notice that I'm _not_ wearing any pants, right?” she told him as his hand slipped up to close around her breast and gave it a squeeze. 

“Well, fuck me over sideways.” 

She giggled at the wide eyed, look he gave her and then he had lifted her off her feet as he cupped her ass in his hands and walked her over to the other counter away from the sink. He lifted her and sat her on the counter, slipping to stand between her open thighs and pull her hips to his. 

She giggled again at the dark look on his face, his dilated pupils, and the way his jaw tensed up. 

“What are you giggling about?” 

“You stole my line.” 

“What line?” 

“Fuck me over sidewa—Ah!” She squealed when Tora leaned over her, pushing her down on the counter. He kissed her thoroughly, enjoying the little gasps she did as she tried to catch her breath. When he pulled back, her lips were puffy, her eyes glazed. “Mmm.” 

“You are such a tease. You say you’re a good girl, but I'd say otherwise,” he lifted his shirt off her stomach, enjoying the soft pink glow of her skin and the way her undies rode low on her hips. They were the same panties from earlier... “You make it so difficult to keep my head straight around you.” 

“Not me,” Poppy mused and started giggling at the WTF look on his face. He gave her hips a squeeze as he pushed himself against her hard. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding!”

“Tease,” he growled and slid his hands under the shirt, sliding it over her soft stomach and to cup her breasts. She bit her lip and continued to stare at him. “Haven’t we talked about you being a brat?”

“Hmm. You know, I am not recalling that…” she grinned and moaned softly when his hands slid under her bra and onto her skin, his hot palm cupping her breasts.

“Do I have to remind you?”

“Mmm, you might have to remind me,” she chuckled as he slid his hands out from under her bra and held her waist.

He pushed her down further on to the counter as he slid the shirt up over her breast, revealing her bra. He reached behind him and opened a drawer, clanking around for something inside of it. “I’ll buy you a new one,” he told her and she frowned.

“What?”

“Bra,” he said as he snipped the bra with some scissors, her breasts popping out from her confines. She stared at him, her mouth open in surprise as he simply threw the scissors into the sink on the other counter.

“Tora! I happened to like that bra!”

“Yeah, me too, but I like these better,” he countered as he brought his hands back to her breasts once more. Fuck. So, what if he was mainly an ass man, he still liked a good set of breasts on a woman, among other things, and Poppy just happened to _fill_ all the requirements. He leaned down and caught her mouth in a hot, wet kiss, trailing down to catch her nipple and bit softly earning a heavy groan from her. Ah. So, she was a breast girl… Interesting. “You’re so hot. Your skin is so warm…”

“Yuh… I feel like I’m burning up. Doctor, are you sure I’m not sick?” she asked as she bit her lower lip and studied him from under her lashes.

“Perhaps a fever. You might need some medicine.” He had caught her playful tone and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so he just followed along. He’d never seen this side of her before—sure, jokes and other types of friendly bantering, but this was plain out sexual—and he definitely was paying attention now.

“Then, maybe you should use your thermometer,” she sat up and her hands went straight for his jeans. “And I know just were you left it.”

“Holy shit, Poppy!” he exclaimed as she popped the button and unzipped quickly, her hands going straight for his hardened length. He groaned when her hands closed around it and gave it a squeeze. “You’re really making it hard to—”

“I can tell,” she giggled and watched the way he closed his eyes and took in a breath. “You know, you said that you were too old for me, and that I wouldn’t know how to handle you… But I think it’s you that can’t handle _me._ ”

“Baby, you are dangerous,” he murmured as his eyes snapped open and he watched as she moved her hands along his length. This was his shy, nerdy nurse? The same one that would sometimes seem afraid of him? Fuck. He’d wasted a whole year. “Sweetheart, Poppy… I meant what I said earlier about intentions. I don’t want to look like a bastard…”

“I don’t think you’re a bastard—”

“I did mean a pizza and a movie—”

“So, you don’t want to…?” she loosened her grasp on her cock. He saw the confused look on her face. She looked almost…guilty? Had he made her feel guilty? Shit.

“Of course I want to!” He pulled her hips close to his so he could grind against her panty-clad pussy. “Can’t you feel that I want to? I just… don’t want you to think that I only invited you so I could have sex with you on my kitchen counter.”

Poppy shook her head. “I don’t want you to have sex with me on your kitchen counter.”

Tora frowned confusedly before he started to loosen his grip on her hips… Only to be pulled back by her hands on his hair.

“I want you to _fuck_ me on your kitchen counter actually…” she whispered before she pulled his face in for another hot kiss.

..

 **“Fuck** , fuck, fuck…”

“Well, if you stopped talking, then maybe we could,” Poppy pointed out as Tora pulled his shirt off. She could feel herself drooling as the expanse of his beautiful, broad chest was revealed. “How are you… So many tattoos! You are like every girl’s secret, dirty fantasy!”

“Meaning?” Tora asked as he pulled her shirt off and laid it back under her.

“You’re this tall, dark, serious and professional doctor during the day… But then you pull your shirt off and my mind just goes automatically blank. Oh!” she wriggled against his lap as he ran his hands down her chest. “And because I can’t believe you’re actually here… with _me_.”

The way she said that last part made his heart clench. Did she really not see herself as someone desirable? Heck, he could barely keep his hands off half the time, even if it was because she was sassing him, and now… Especially not now. Why would he not want to be there with her? She was beautiful girl, physically, and the more time he spent with her, he saw just how beautiful she was inside, emotionally as well.

“Then don’t think,” he said and held her head in place as he plundered her lips. She whimpered, her own hands holding on to his, sliding down to grasp his erection again.

He pushed her down with his body, mouth fused to hers as his hand slid down to her panties, pulling them down her thighs. She was already making all sorts of sounds and whimpers as he pressed against her. The feel of her body and the taste of her mouth on his drove him crazy. The fact that she didn’t see herself as someone he could possibly like, made him a little sad and he planned to show her he did, in fact, like her. Very much.

He pulled her mouth off of hers and slid his lips down her neck. Down her chest, briefly sucking on one nipple causing her to arch her back… down her stomach, down to her hip… and her eyes snapped open when she realized the direction his lips were heading…

“Oh no! Oh, wait! You don’t have to do that! Wait, don’t—ah!”

Her hand grasped at his hair as his lips met her lips…below. He held her hips down with his arms and her thighs open with the width of his shoulders. She was starting to gasp in her breaths, no longer complaining, simply gasping and whimpering as she watched him teasing, licking, and her eyes nearly rolled back to her head when he winked at her and sucked at the little bundle of nerves at the top….

“Oh, god! Tora… Tora!” she was starting to tremble slightly. He stood up quickly, pushing his pants down as he went. He pulled her hips closer to the edge of the counter, stuck two fingers inside her to test her and watched as she snapped her eyes open again—caramel brown eyes met golden—and he slid inside her to the hilt.

That’s all it took.

She came apart, her body shaking, as her back arched and she cried out.

He held on to her hips, pulling her to his own swinging ones. He wasn’t going to last much longer, just the feel of her inner walls clenching around his surging cock was making his own eyes roll to the back of his head.

“Tora!” she panted as she held on to his forearms. “Oh. My. God! Ah!”

He didn’t know how, or when, but somehow they ended up on the floor. He’d laid her down on his shirt that he’d thrown off earlier, and kept on pounding into her. She was way beyond words now, didn’t know what else to do besides hold on to him. She threw her legs around his hips, tried to push up against him as he moved.

“More, more. Oh my…” she didn’t even know what she was saying anymore. All she knew was that she heard him groan and soon his hips were slamming even harder and deeper into hers.

“Fuck, fuck… Poppy…” he groaned against her ear as held himself up on his elbows, cradled her in between his arms as he moved above her. “Shit… You’re so…you’re so fucking beautiful. Don’t you fuckin’ let anyone tell you otherwise.”

She blinked at him, her eyes shiny, pupils dilated as she took him in.

“Oh…”

“FUCK…” he pushed one last time, feeling himself pour into her. He gritted his teeth and his body shook and trembled as he dropped onto her, feeling her arms circle him and hold him tight.

.

“You don’t have to go, you know?”

“I really do… I’m not entirely sure how to go about this kind of situation.”

“You can stay the night. You’ve been awake since yesterday. It’s almost one in the morning.”

“Mmm. I _am_ tired.”

“Stay. I don’t bite… Unless you want me to.”

“Nerdy and kinky. Who would’ve known?”

“Stay. Get some sleep. I’m not letting you take an Uber nowhere at this time.” Tora threw his arm around Poppy’s waist and pulled her back towards him so they could spoon.

Poppy sighed as she cuddled back against him. She laid there for a moment, thinking.

“Tora?”

“Mmm?”

“I’m hungry.”

“Holy—woman… It’s late.” Tora grumbled.

“You know, you never did feed me. The pizza is still in the oven and you’ve worn me out. I’m hungry.” Knowing she’d won the argument when he started muttering to himself like he usually did when he was proven wrong, she sat and jumped out of bed.

He was already pulling on some sweats on the other side. She stared around the room.

“You know, as much as you’re okay with walking around the house naked, I don’t think I’m that comfortable yet. Can I get something to wear?” He looked at her then, pink and luscious, hair tousled around her shoulders.

“Only because you asked nicely,” he said as he tossed her the shirt he was about to pull on himself. She smiled at him and put it on and followed him out the room to the kitchen.

When they eaten the whole pizza—they were both hungry, having missed lunch at work—and down some much-needed water, they made their way back upstairs. She was feeling cautious about going back to bed with him, never having stayed over with someone who wasn’t a boyfriend—her last boyfriend having been Julri—and because this was the only other man she’d actually slept with.

“Poppy, you’re overthinking things again. Stop it. Come to bed, I want to turn the lights off.” Tora grumbled when he saw her eyebrows drawn together in confusion. He pulled back the covers and patted the spot beside him. “It’s cold. Hurry up, woman.”

She giggled at the scowl on his face. What a big baby.

Carefully, she climbed into the spot next to him and he threw the blanket over her as well, pulling her towards his body.

“Go to sleep, woman.”

He patted the spot next to him… searching… searching…

Tora frowned and opened his eyes slowly, squinting against the sunlight pouring through his window. Where was she? What time was it? The digital clock on his bedside table read ten a.m..

He dragged himself out of bed and downstairs to the kitchen. There was a yellow sticky Post-It note on the counter and he immediately recognized her rounded, curly writing…

**WENT HOME.**

**DIDN’T WANT TO WAKE YOU UP SINCE YOU WERE SLEEPING SOUNDLY.**

**PANCAKES AND BACON ARE IN THE OVEN.**

**THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING…**

**~POPPY.**

**PS, Please, I would appreciate if we kept this between us. Thank you. <3**

Tora sighed and stared at the note. He wasn’t sure what’d had happened, how they got there, but he had a feeling his life was never going to be the same.

He grinned at the squiggly drawing of what he assumed was himself with tattoos and a single squiggly fish on his chest on the back of the note. It was literally a circle with hair, an upside-down triangle with abs, the fish, and stick arms and legs.

The word bubble coming off to the side of his ‘head’ read:

**(LOOK AT ME.**

**I’M DR. T.**

**WHY ARE YOU IN MY**

**PARKING SPOT?**

**RAWR RAWR.)**

That was a keeper for his office.

With a laugh, he went back upstairs to continue napping. It’d been some time since he’d actually gotten any sleep…


	3. Bucket List

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. Tora doesn't understand why Poppy keeps avoiding him. It's been a week since that night at his house, and he figured they'd be closer. Was Tora wrong? What's going to happen now?  
> .......................................................  
> ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO LILYDUSK, FOR HER WEBCOMIC "MIDNIGHT POPPY LAND", I'M JUST BORROWING THEM.  
> FOLLOW HER ON PATREON FOR AWESOME GOODIES ;D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OVERNIGHT SENSATION- Borns 
> 
> AMERICAN MONEY- Borns 
> 
> ELECTRIC LOVE- Borns 
> 
> DOPAMINE- Borns

**...A Week Later... **

“ ** CODE BLUE 404B! CODE BLUE 404B!” **

Poppy wasn’t having a good day. This was the 2 nd Code of the week and she was legit on only her third hour in… Nine more to go, nine more… 

She ran into the room, taking over for one of the assistants who had started CPR. Being so damn short meant that she also had to climb onto the hospital just to be able to fully push into the patient’s chest. 

She was on Auto Pilot. 

Push, push, push... She thought about that one song they always told them sing in their heads to keep a bit and scoffed. Who even has time to be thinking about songs when trying to keep someone alive? She had other things in mind like what meds was he on? Did he have heart problems? Allergies? What was the last medication he’d received? DNR? Full-Code? Who else was on the floor with her today? 

She briefly acknowledged three of the nurses running into the room, along with one of the other doctors. She did notice that Tora was not in the mix and thought,  _ Good.  _ Because she didn’t think she could think clearly with him in the room. 

The team quickly and efficiently got vitals, checked records, and eventually were able to get him back to a stable cardiac rhythm. 

“I’m going to go... sit for a moment,” Poppy told them after she made sure that the patient was okay and taken care of. Her arms were burning, her legs felt like jelly and her back hurt a bit from being hunched over for so long…

“I think we got it now.  Thanks, Poppy,” the other doctor said as he checked over some labs on the computer in the room.

Poppy swung her stethoscope across her neck and walked out of the room, sighing in relief as she felt the cool breeze of the AC… It had been really hot in that room with the amount of bodies and exertion that they’d been dealing with.

“Whoa, you okay?”

Poppy tensed up slightly at the voice and turned, finding Tora standing one door down as he held a pile of papers.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

Tora frowned a bit. He was having a hard time figuring Poppy out.. He had thought that after what had happened between them a week ago, they’d be on some sort of at least…friendly terms? Except she’d disappeared the morning after and he hadn’t heard from her until three days later when he’d seen her at work. He’d tried texting her to see how she was doing, but all he’d gotten out of her was  _ ‘I got home fine. Thanks’. _

She hadn’t even tried to follow up on that comment and he wasn’t sure about sending her any more messages since she didn’t seem to want him to.

She’d been obviously avoiding him since then.

“Are you okay?” he asked because she looked extremely frazzled. Her hair was a little  _ more exciting _ than usual and she seemed flushed, a fine layer of sweat sheened across her forehead and nose.

“Well, we did just run a code… So, needless to say, the adrenaline is starting to wear off.” Poppy eyed him curiously, trying to will her naughty heart from pitter pattering excessively like it’s been doing since that first time in the Sleeping Room. “I’m going to go sit down or something.” With that, she turned and started walking away, except she only made it as far as three doors down before she felt herself being yanked sideways. “What the—” she sputtered and found herself pressed against the closed door of the room as Tora loomed over her with glittering golden eyes. 

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he stated  calmly, and she could feel her face heating up even more than it already was.

She glanced around him, under his arm, because it would really suck if there were patients in this room. “I have not.”

“And you’re angry. Did I upset you?” he asked because he could tell she was upset. 

“I’m not angry, and I’m not upset. Although, if you keep asking me that I will truly get  upset and _ will  _ be angry at you for real.” It wasn’t until she’d said it that she realized she’d snapped at him. He could make her so angry  sometimes .

He stepped back and gave her room to pace. Even though it amused him when she was angry—because she’d get real snappy, sassy, and her eyes would just blaze—he didn’t mention it at that moment. 

“It was just a question,” he explained as he took in her appearance. “Have you been sleeping? You look exhausted.”

“That’s because I  _ am _ exhausted. I ended up covering extra hours last night because the nurse that was supposed to come in after me called in. Her kid has the stomach flu and now she’s caught something as well. I didn’t end up going home until past midnight instead of six, and got back here at six a.m. again this morning.” She sighed and sat on the corner of one of the beds. “It’s the flu season, and now everyone’s kids are getting sick and the ones without kids are working extra hours. Usually, I don’t mind, but I’m probably coming down with something as well ‘cause I feel like crap myself.”

Tora nodded and took a seat next to her. “I get it. I’m already doing 20 hours at a time some days, especially on call. I take any spare moment I’ve got and use it to nap. I go home and sleep for days.” He noticed her clenching her hands nervously in her lap and reached out for one to hold. She glanced at him nervously. “I… wanted to apologize if I’ve made you uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to cross any lines and make you uncomfortable around me, but I think that’s what has happened.”

Poppy dropped her gaze to their entwined hands and sighed.

“It’s not your fault. I could’ve said no.”

“You can still say no.”

“Are… Is…Hmm.” She frowned and said nothing else. She really was itching to know what he meant by that last comment. Did that mean he planned to keep their… whatever this was between them, going on? Another repeat of the Sleeping Room occurrence? 

“Tell me.” He squeezed her hand gently.

“What?”

“What you’re thinking. I can see you thinking.”

“You said I could still say no.” She glanced at him, “Did that mean you wanted to… to keep, uh, doing what we did?”

“Hmm.” He looked straight ahead as he pondered that. “I mean, not unless you don’t want to. I wasn’t really  _ looking _ to start something—”

“We don’t have to.” Poppy cut him off because it sounded like he had  hesitated, and she wasn’t around to play games. It was giving her a headache. She stood up only to have Tora pull her back towards him. She eyed him nervously as he pulled her to stand between his legs. Even with him sitting down, her standing up, he was still taller than her. Wow. She hadn’t realized just how big he truly was. 

“You didn’t even let me finish.” He frowned and sighed. She was very jittery. He didn’t think he’d ever seen this nurse that way around him, except from when they’d started working together and she was nervous to make a mistake. He held on to her hands, his thumbs rubbing over her palms. “I wasn’t looking to start any sort of relationship. You know how it is, you work with me. We both practically live here, so it’s a little difficult to meet anyone outside of work…But I don’t regret anything that’s happened between us. I just don’t want you to feel obligated to continue anything you don’t want.”

Poppy’s face was still pink. Her stupid heart was racing and she finally got a chance to stare at his face. His beautiful face, because damn, he really was good to look at. Part of a rounded tattoo peeked over the side of his neck from under his scrubs and white coat. He was full of tattoos and she was curious to find out if they meant anything specific. That one on his neck almost seemed out of place on his body and didn’t seem to go with the theme of the other ones.

“I don’t regret it,” she said finally and looked down at her feet again. It was embarrassing saying that out loud. “I just don’t want to be something convenient for you to use. I’m not… usually that…  _ easy _ or impulsive.”

“I don’t think you’re easy. Easy is the last thing I’d describe you as.” He chuckled as he dropped his hands to her waist, pulling her towards him in the process. “Poppy, if I thought you were easy, I would’ve tried something a long time ago. Maybe then you would’ve been easier on me, instead of being a snotty, sassy brat.”

She scowled, smacking his shoulder. “Was it some sort of revenge for being a  _ sassy _ brat? That’s fucking horrible! I’m not some fucking cheap fuck, Doctor!”

Tora chuckled again as he raised on hand to cup her head with. “Poppy, not only are you sassy and a brat, but you have a damn strong potty mouth as well.” He kissed her briefly, enjoying the way her cheeks darkened. “Maybe instead of ‘Poppy’ I should change your name to ‘Poopy’ on my contact list, for your potty mouth.” He smirked at the outraged look on her face.

“That’s just… rude!” she hissed with a pout, earning herself another kiss from Tora who held her head in place so he could thoroughly taste her. When he pulled back, she was panting heavily, her eyes dazed. 

“And no, you’re not a  _ cheap fuck _ , sweetheart. I enjoy working with you, and I enjoyed what we did together. The fact that you have a brain and are not afraid to use it makes me happy. Also, I’ll admit it, it’s kind of hot when you get all angry and start cussing people out.”

“The only person that makes me angry enough is  _ you _ .” She pointed out with a roll of her eyes.

“Exactly. And I like it. Because everyone thinks you’re a sweet, little, angel baby, but you’re actually a spitfire.” He gave her wink. “I still have scratches on my back from last week.”

Poppy’s eyes widen. “Shut up…And I’m sure no one thinks of me as a ‘sweet, little, angel baby.”

“I did.” Tora snorted because standing up. “Until you threatened to punch me in the face once. Then not so much.” Poppy could feel his fingers trailing circles on the skin at her hips. It was making her crazy. She bit her lower lip nervously as she tried to think of anything else but his fingers on her skin. “Hey, stop it with the biting. Only I get to do that.” He pulled her close and dropped his mouth over hers, quickly deepening the kiss as his tongue sought hers. She tasted like coffee and lemon honey Chapstick. He groaned slightly when he heard her whimper and her hands went around his waist, clutching on to him. 

The thought to throw her on one of the beds crossed his mind, but he scowled at that because he wasn’t about to get them in trouble if they were caught. So, he kissed her for a few more seconds before lifting his head.

She was breathing hard, her lips pouty and pink, her eyes half open. Her hair was a mess.

“Hey.”

“Hmm?”

“We should head back, no?” He said as he righted her clothes and stepped back from her. She finally realized where they were in and gasped. 

“Oh god, I forgot. I was supposed to be going on break.” She checked her watch. “It’s been fifteen minutes already.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have kept you,” he said and frowned at himself.

“It’s okay. I guess we had to clear some things,” she said with a sigh. She walked over to the bathroom and checked herself in the mirror, quickly patting her cheeks with some cool water and then fixing her hair. 

She glanced over at Tora when she went back to the room and he was smiling at her.

“What?”

“You’re just… something else,” he said with a grin. “Well, let’s go.”

“Someone is going to see me walking out of a closed-door room with you,” she started nervously.

“I’ll just tell them I needed to speak to you about something.” He shrugged as he opened the door and stepping out. He remembered the papers in his hand. “Oh! I forgot, I wanted to talk to you about these actually.”

Poppy came out behind him and looked at the papers he had. “Results?”

“Hi Dr. Nishioka!” 

They turned and saw Erdene making her way down the hall with some meds in her hands. She had seen them coming out of the room and grinned mischievously.

“Oh, hello.”

Poppy groaned internally. This was going to suck!

“Whatcha doing?”

“Running some results by Poppy for 402A. Don’t let her forget about this later, please.” Tora said as he gave Poppy a look that had her groaning aloud that time.

“Oh, I won’t let her forget anything!” Erdene said with a look at Poppy who scowled.

Tora explained some details to Poppy and patted her on the arm as he headed back to his office.

Erdene waited for the doctor to disappear before rounding on her friend.

“Tell me everything!” she gushed as she huddled close to the blushing girl.

“There is nothing to tell! Erdene, he was showing me some results!” Poppy stammered as she held the stack of papers to her chest.

“Behind closed doors?”

“His office also has closed doors!”

“Why wasn’t it in his office then?” Erdene cradled the packets of pills to her chest and raised an eyebrow. “Why are you blushing?”

“Because you’re making me nervous!” Poppy gritted. She touched a hand to her cheek.

“Girrrrl, don’t tell me that’s who your hot mysterious date was last week!” Erdene gasped with wide eyes, shutting her mouth as another nurse passed by with her C.O.W.. “Was it him?” Erdene whispered when the nurse was out of earshot.

Poppy looked scandalized—because she was freaking out that Erdene was asking her all these things—and Erdene took it as having offended the poor girl.

“I’m sorry! It just looked suspicious!” Erdene sighed dramatically. “Just imagine it, a doctor and his nurse. That’s some kinky Fabio shit right there!”

Chuckling nervously, Poppy added, “You read too many of those books!”

“Gotta get my rocks off somehow.” The tall woman replied, then sighed again. “Have you seen that size of that man?” she started and missed Poppy’s wide-eyed look because to her, it immediately brought back an image of a naked Tora. So, yes, she definitely had seen the  _ size _ of that man. “All six feet of him—”

“I thought he said he was 6’3”?”

“How would you know?”

“Because he makes fun of  _ my _ height, and kept gloating about it, remember?” Poppy scoffed.

“Ooh, yeah. All 6’3” of him, tall, dark and disgustingly handsome. He acts all serious and stoic, imagine if he actually turned out to be a freak in bed?” Erdene giggled and nudged Poppy on the side. “Gurl, you out of anyone in this facility has the chance to find out if all of what I just said is true,” she finished with a wink.

Looking appalled, Poppy asked, “Why me though!? Seriously? What!?!?”

“Because you’re the only one he’s nice to. He acts as if he hates everyone else’s guts.” 

“That’s a lie. He’s nice to others.”

“It’s a different kind of nice. Don’t tell me you’ve never noticed how different he’s with you and the rest of the population here.” Erdene frowned, “Poppy, open your eyes woman. That man has the hots for you.”

“No, he doesn’t!” Poppy scowled. What? Where had that come from? Was that true and how had she missed all of what Erdene explained. “I don’t see it.”

Sigh. “He’s sweet on you.”

“He’s called me a snotty brat, and a hamster before!” Poppy snapped. He really had. He kept bringing up the brat part. And the hamster part was in regard to her cheeks. 

“He’s flirting with you!” Erdene said exasperatedly. “That’s how boys flirt!”

“You would think that with him being a  _ man _ , he would know not to resort to boyish mechanisms!” Poppy argued. “He’s pinched my cheeks and said  _ ‘cute, like a hamster or some shit’ _ . He’s got this thing where he pulls my hair or taps it with a pen  when he passes by.”

“Well, what if he wants to pinch something else, but obviously can’t? And he called you a cute hamster, notice the CUTE.” Erdene thought for a moment. “Maybe he’s a hair puller. I’ve got chills. Poppy, imagine getting it from the man as he gives you some good hair-pulling?”

Poppy blushed bright red. “Erdene!”

“Poppy!”

“ERDENE.”

“POPPPY.”

“I can’t with you. He doesn’t like me that way. I’m not going to get myself in trouble over it.” Poppy concluded with a shake of her head. Erdene groaned.

“Poppy, live a little! If no one finds out, no one gets in trouble! You’re missing a whole lot of man if you don’t open your eyes and take a chance.”

“You sound like you have experience in this sort of situation,” Poppy started with a squint of her eyes. Erdene stood up straight and smirked. “Oh, god, Erdene. You’re going to get yourself fired!” She looked around and made sure no one was watching. “Who was it?”

“Now you’re curious!”  Erdene scowled as she squinted at her friend. She leaned in closer anyways. “You  know that one tall, blonde doctor from cardiology?”

“Dr. B!?” Poppy gasped. “Nooo. I thought he wasn’t into women…?”

“I thought so, too! But apparently not.” Erdene winked, “Turns out he’s really good with his hands. Must be a surgeon thing,” she finished with a shrug.

Poppy gawked at her friend. “Oh my god. I don’t know Erdene. I just… I’m not so…”

“Slutty?”

“I was going to say BRAVE, woman.” Poppy chuckled. “You brave soul. It’s giving me anxiety just thinking about a relationship. Anyways, I have to go figure these papers out for Dr. N before he flips out on me.”

“Better if he flips out ON you,” Erdene pointed out with a cackle before walking off.

“Erdene.”

“Poppy!”

Poppy giggled as she walked away in the opposite direction. She couldn’t help but think about Erdene said… Was Tora really into her that way? More than just a convenient lay? Hmm… She didn’t think he acted any different with her than with other people, but what did she know?

She would try to see if she could see what Erdene had mentioned…

**...1 month later… **

****

** “Move  ** your leg over to the other side, come on…”

“You mean straddling you?”

“Yeah…Come here.”

Poppy climbed over Tora’s lap to straddle him. She felt him grasp at her dress and pull it up until it bunched around her waist. She gasped excitedly when his lips trailed hot kisses down the side of her neck, to her collarbone, and nipped her there softly.

“Oh, shit.” She moaned softly, grasping at his hair as she pulled his head back to kiss him. Teeth crashing, their tongue met in the middle and he could taste the sharp tangy taste of the margarita she’d been drinking earlier.

“I want you,” he murmured against her lips as his hands found the corners of her panties. “Can I…?”

“Yes,” she gasped when she felt his fingers caressing around the bottom part. She shivered as his fingers slid along the seam of it, on her skin. 

They were in his car, parked in the far corner of the large parking lot. They had met at the Christmas party and been staring at each other for a while. She’d been hanging out with Erdene and Jacob when he’d appeared with Dr. Balthuman—the doctor apparently Erdene had been having secret meetings with—and they asked if they could sit with them. 

“Yes, sir, you’re very welcomed to sit with us,” Erdene said excitedly as she locked eyes with the blonde doctor. He ran his eyes over Erdene’s lacy get up as he sat down. Poppy concluded that whatever those two had going on was definitely none of her business. When she turned to look away from Dr. B, she found herself in the glare of Tora’s gaze.

“Uh.”

“How have you been?” he asked her smoothly as he glanced down at his menu. A waiter came and took his order. “I haven’t been able to catch up with you all this month,” he commented as he studied her.

She nodded slowly. “It’s been kind of a hectic month.”

“Yeah, I noticed.” He’d been doing a lot of long extra shifts lately. “Are you here with anyone?”

“Erdene and Jacob.” Poppy nudged Erdene on the side when she noticed her friend throwing the other doctor inappropriate looks.

“No date…” Tora said almost as a reassurance to himself.

“Of course, not.” Poppy said briskly as she took a sip of her water. “I don’t have time for dates.”

“Would explain why I haven’t been able to catch up in a month,” he added as he stared directly at her. Poppy paused, catching the underlying message and tone that he shot her way.  _ I haven’t been able to make-out with you or catch you in a corner somewhere. _

“I’ve been  _ really _ busy,” she added. “Work wears me out, and I literally spend my time at home sleeping, eating, or doing laundry.”

“Sounds… exhausting,” Tora commented, ignoring the nudge from his companion. “It’s almost as if you’ve been avoiding me. Which is weird, because I don’t see a reason why you would be. I could have sworn we used to have good chats.”

“Yeah, well,” she said as she turned back to Erdene and Jacob who were giving her interested looks. She looked over at the other doctor who had a shit eating grin on his handsome face. “Uh. Hello?”

“Well, who’s this sassy young lady?” he asked and Poppy thought she would die. Now this doctor thought the same thing as Tora!? 

“Um, I’m Poppy Wilkes,” she said and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Quincey Balthuman.” He nodded and stopped, eyes looking as if a light bulb had gone off in his head. “Say, Tora, is this Miss Poppy, the sassy one you’re always talking about?” 

Tora looked flustered for a moment, clearly taken aback at being discovered.

“Yes… This is  _ the _ Miss Poppy, one of the nurses I work with.”

Erdene was leaning against Jacob, and both were watching the whole thing intently, Jacob idly sipping on his drink.

“Ah! I like it!” Quincey declared. “You make him all sorts of flustered! Sometimes I don’t even know what he’s feeling or talking about. He drives me off the wall!”

Poppy’s eyes widened and she looked away.

Tora grunted in annoyance. He knew that look. Now she was upset.

Erdene saw the way that Poppy looked tense while Tora was looking annoyed as hell. She clapped her hands and exclaimed, “Well! Isn’t it weird how we all know each other? Fun times, fun times! Say Dr. B, how long have you known Dr. N for?”

Quincey grinned. “Well, a long time…”

He started telling them the story, while Poppy felt herself pout in annoyance, a little put out that even this other man knew her as the sassy nurse because Tora was going around ranting about her. What kind of rep did that give her with other providers around the place?

Later, when Erdene pulled Quincey out to the dance floor and Jacob declared he was way too drunk and going to call an Uber, Poppy jumped up as well. 

“Let me go with you, Jacob. My place is on the same route as yours,” she said quickly as she avoided Tora’s glare.

“Alright, cool.” Jacob shrugged as he said bye to Tora and started walking out, Poppy on his tail.

Poppy felt bad about leaving Tora by himself, but at the same time, she was annoyed that he was going around talking about her. 

She hugged herself and stood there pouting as they waited for the Uber to arrive.

“Can we talk?” came a voice near her ear, startling her.

“Shit! What are you, a stalker? Oh my god, my heart. How the hell are you so light on your feet? You would think someone your size would have heavier steps!” she muttered as she clutched her chest.

“I don’t know whether to be offended or flattered. I’ll go with the latter.” Tora glanced over at Jacob who yawned widely. “Hey, man. Jacob?”

“Huh?” Jacob blinked and looked behind him. “Oh, hey, doc. What’s up?”

“I’m going to borrow Miss Poppy here. Go ahead and take the Uber.” He gave Poppy a look that shut her complains right up. “I’ll make sure to give her a ride myself.”

Poppy didn’t know whether to whimper or shout, the way he said ‘ride’ had her stomach fluttering and an embarrassing heat curling between her legs. Shit. This man was sex on a stick.

“Uh, yeah. Okay. Bye guys,” Jacob waved them off as he waved again. Tora grasped Poppy by her arm and dragged her all the way to the parking lot and to his car.

“Can you please slow down? I can only walk so far in these things!” she complained as they stopped in front of his car. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and glared at him, leaning down to undo the straps of her heels to pull them off. Tora noticed the immediate loss of about four inches of her height. Her vibrant red satin dress cradled all her curves, and the V-dip in the front with its tiny straps over her shoulders, had him counting sheep and thinking of all horrible patient stories just to control himself.

Then when she’d stood up, he’d noticed the slit on the side of her dress that gaped slightly as she walked. The heels—freaking little things—clicked as she’d walked away from him.

“Why are you upset with me?” he asked her as she straightened up again.

“Why are you going around talking about me to other doctors?”

“Because you’re interesting to talk about. What’s so bad about that?” he asked with a frown. She scowled at him.

“He called me sassy as well. Perhaps I need to keep my damn thoughts to myself before the whole hospital finds out about Sassy Miss Poppy from the fourth floor!” Poppy snapped. 

“I only said that once before. I never mentioned after we had that conversation in the one room.” Tora explained. “I thought you weren’t going to avoid me anymore?”

“I’ve been busy,” Poppy said. “In case you haven’t noticed, it’s been kind of hectic.”

“That’s never stopped you from at least stopping to talk with me for a few minutes.”

“Does it matter?”

“Of course it matters!... I miss it.” Tora replied thickly. “You just don’t see it.”

“I…” Poppy shook her head and looked away. “I’ve been trying to stay out of trouble, in case you’re wondering.”

“Trouble how?”

Poppy looked up at him. “Because every time we’re stuck in the same place alone, it seems we can’t keep our hands to ourselves…” Tora sighed, dropping his hands to his side.

“You make it sound like that’s a bad thing.”

“Because it is bad, Tora!” Poppy said, her voice shaky. “Chances are, you don’t lose your job, but what guarantee do I have that I won’t?”

“Dammit, Poppy. I don’t care if I get in trouble. Please, talk to me. I wasn’t lying, I do miss talking with you.” He leaned closer to her, hands dropping to her cup her face and tilt it so she looked up at him. “It gets boring without our arguments and conversations. I miss your snappy comments.”

Poppy felt her lips trembling as she tried to stop herself from crying. This man was too much for her emotions. How could he be  snarky but caring at the same time. He made her want to strangle him one moment and want to kiss him the next.

“Don’t tell me you don’t miss your fights.” He whispered with a small grin.

“Well, it does… get boring, now that you mention it,” she whispered back as she lifted her hands to hold onto his suit jacket. “But Tora, I’m really confused.”

“About?”

“Us. This… Whatever this is between us. Am I just something to pass the time with? I need to know straight up, because… because I don’t think my heart can deal with it.”

Tora groaned, hugging her tightly to his body. She could hear the pounding of his heart as she rested her head against his chest.

“Poppy, Poppy…” he lifted her up again, “You’re… special. You keep me in line, keep me on my toes. I can’t think clearly when you’re  around and feel like shit when you’re not. I don’t sleep around, Poppy. I’m fucking OCD as hell, and I bet you’ve noticed how specific I am about things.”

“Yes, common knowledge—”

“Not common knowledge, I don’t sleep with my coworkers.” 

Poppy wanted to trust him… so bad.

_ Because you’re the only one he’s nice to. _

“I don’t really meet with people outside of work. I like peace and quiet.”

_ It’s a different kind of nice. Don’t tell me you’ve never noticed how different he’s with you… _

Surely, Erdene was wrong. She had to be.

“You’re efficient, you’re kind…” Tora continued, “Heck, you’ve got a dark sense of humor that rivals mine. I enjoyed spending time with you…”

_ You’re missing a whole lot of man if you don’t open your eyes and take a chance. _

“Is spending time together going to consist of having sex all the time?” Poppy asked, her heart in her throat. “Or what?”

He blinked in confusion…Until he caught what she meant. “We can if you want but doesn’t mean we have to do it all the time. I’m not so self- absorbed, you know.”

“I don’t understand...”

“I want to get to know you. Beyond the hospital setting and crazy patients, Poppy. Don’t ignore me. Believe me, it drives me a little insane…”

“Aren’t you already a little insane, though?” she giggled shakily.

“You…” Tora chuckled back at her. He watched her for a moment, trying to understand what she was feeling. He knew what he  felt but wanted to see if she felt the same way as he did. It was gnawing at the back of his mind that someone so innocent like her could make him all sorts of crazy.

“Tora?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you pull me away from Jacob just to talk…”

He raised his eyebrows at her. “Well, then. What do you suppose we do then?”

“Well, I’ve heard that…Backseat hanky-panky is fun. I’ve never done it, but I’ve recently added it to my Bucket List.” Poppy explained with the most innocent look on her face that had Tora’s blood rushing down. But he saw that glint in her eyes.

“Oh.” He smirked at her. “Well, what do you know? I’ve never done that either, but it sounds like a good idea…”

“Well, are you going to think about it, or are you going to kiss me?” She asked breathlessly, because Erdene was right. She needed to take some chances.

…..

“ ** Damnit ** ,” Tora said as he snatched the door open to the backseat and nearly slammed his head on the corner of it. Poppy laughed as she slid into the car, Tora right behind her. He remembered her shoes and reached back out, grabbed them, and threw them into the front seat. “You could stab someone with those things,” he said.

“Maybe that’s why I wore them,” Poppy giggled, “Self- defense.”

“Come here,” Tora motioned for her, grabbing her and kissing her senseless. “This dress of yours has been driving me insane!” he muttered into her mouth as his hands slid down across her bare shoulders. “Are you not wearing a bra?” He asked when all he felt of her back was skin, the rise of her dress halfway up.

“Uh. The dress has a built in one?”

“Sounds like you’re not sure.”

“Okay, fine. I’m just wearing  _ myself _ .”

Tora paused for a second before blinking, then groaned as he stuck his tongue back into her mouth. “Shit. Come up here,” he murmured quickly.

“Over your lap.”

“Fuck yeah.”

Poppy climbed over Tora’s lap to straddle him. She felt him grasp at her dress and pull it up until it bunched around her waist. She gasped excitedly when his lips trailed hot kisses down the side of her neck, to her collarbone, and nipped her there softly.

“Oh, shit.” She moaned softly, grasping at his hair as she pulled his head back to kiss him. Teeth crashing, their tongue met in the middle and he could taste the sharp tangy taste of the margarita she’d been drinking earlier.

“I want you,” he murmured against her lips as his hands found the corners of her panties. “Can I…?”

“Yes,” she gasped when she felt his fingers caressing around the bottom part. She shivered as his fingers slid along the seam of it, on her skin. “Oh my…gawd.”

With her face hidden between his shoulder and neck, she clutched at the lapels of his jacket. She moaned when his fingers moved her panties to the side and  soon they were caressing her hot skin. She was momentarily embarrassed about how turned on she  was, and she was sure he would soon find  just how very much so.

“Mother-fuccck…” Tora growled hoarsely as his fingers slid easily down her slit. She whimpered, clutching even harder onto him. He nuzzled her face until she turned to him again and caught her mouth in another sloppy kiss. She gave a throaty moan when his finger slid in, testing her. 

“Oh! Shit, shit shit! Tora!” she gasped, trying to keep her hips from moving even though her body wasn’t hers anymore. She bit her lip when she felt him add another finger and start slowly pumping at her. “Oh, god! What are you doing to me?”

“Making sure you’re ready for me, ‘cause I’m fucking hard as hell, and it’s going to be a fucking bumpy ride,” he hissed. “Move on them, Poppy, you know you want to.”

Poppy shook her head, even though her body started moving on his fingers, feeling them stretch her and accommodate to the intrusion. He reached between them with his other hand and started pulling at his button and belt. It was proving to be a bit difficult due to how hard he was… “Give me a second, love.”

Poppy sat back, watching his large hands moving over his belt before carefully lowering his zipper. He pulled his pants and boxers down, his cock springing freely, as he settled back onto the seat. With a quick pump on himself, he looked back at Poppy.

“Alright, babe, all yours. Come on.”

Poppy moved back over his lap, pulling her panties to the side with  one hand as she held onto his cock with the other and guided it to her folds. Tora watched her eyes slide shut as she slid herself down onto him slowly. She’d already taken a battering from him before, so he didn’t have to worry about her not being able to take him at all.

“ Ohhhhh ,” she moaned shakily when her thighs met his. 

“Now, because you know I'm not a liar, I did tell Jacob I would be giving you a ride... But how about you give me a ride instead?” he said and she nodded at him eagerly.

“Oh, god. You’re so big...” she gasped as she lifted her hips and lowered again. 

“I need to see your breasts.” He raised his hands to the straps at her shoulders, pulling them down along with the front of her dress. He groaned when he saw her pretty breasts uncovered, flushed, with their pretty pink nipples hard. “Move Poppy, you’re driving me crazy!”

She did then, raising her hips and slamming them back down, feeling the way he stretched and felt inside her. He was hot, hard, and long and she felt so fucking full, but she couldn’t get enough of him. 

He slammed up as she sunk down, meeting in between and soon all they could hear was their panting, moans, and groans and the slapping of  their bodies coming together.

“Look at you, Poppy. You’re so damn pretty! Look at these little nipples, so  pretty , so pink,” he sucked one into his mouth making her cry out when he suckled, pinching the other with his thumb and forefinger.

“Please, please, please,” she whimpered, her hands clutching his suit. “Oh my...arh!”

“What? Please what?” he asked, his voice tight. “Shit... You’re so tight. You’re so tight and hot, I can feel you clenching around my cock. You’re about to  come, aren’t you?” She nodded quickly, still panting as she moved over him, feeling herself tightening around him from the inside.

Tora hugged the girl to himself, kissing her, sucking her tongue into his mouth. She was intoxicating, she was hot and tight around him. She was like a breath of fresh air that he hadn’t known he needed until that day at the hospital. He hadn’t meant for it to happen, to end up doing it in that sleeping room, but it  did, and it felt like everything had fallen into place for him. She was bright, she was sunlight to his dark and gloomy life, and he planned to keep her with him.... 

How could he have gone so long without realizing this precious beauty was hidden right beneath his nose?

“Oh, Tora!” she wailed as she hid her face against his shoulder. Every time she moved her breasts would rub against his jacket and they felt so rough, but so good against her sensitive skin. “Please, please!”

He slid a hand between them to touch her sweet little bundle of nerves. Fucking little pearl was stiff and warm and he pressed his thumb against it, making her cry out. That was all it took. She came, trembling, shaking against him, her cries filling his car and his ears.

That was it for him. He dropped his hands to her grasp her bottom, lifting her and lowering her as he wanted, as he needed. His hips were moving out of their own accord now, thrusting far too eagerly and far too hard, but he couldn’t stop. All this blood seemed to have travelled to his head—and it wasn’t the one with a brain—and it was now doing all the thinking.

With a heavy growl, he clenched his hands around the round globes of her butt cheeks before slamming a couple more times inside and coming with a deep groan, feeling himself gasping for air just as she was.

He let her body drop down, keeping him deep inside her as they shivered and shuddered together, their bodies hot and heavy against each other.

It was a while before either one of them could move. And when they did, Tora drove them home, to his house.

Except this time, she didn’t leave him in the morning.

............................


	4. Something Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is something different between the doctor and the nurse. Something strange. Wonder if they'll figure it out.  
> .......................  
> All characters belong to Miss Lilydusk for her webcomic "Midnight Poppy Land" on Webtoon.  
> Find her and awesome goodies on her Patreon page. :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi beautiful people! It is I. Still alive.  
> Here's a 4th chapter for this 'one-shot' LOL.  
> Hope y'all enjoy it.  
> ...........................  
> BUBBLEGUM BITCH- Marina  
> PRIMADONNA- Marina  
> CRUSH- Jennifer Paige  
> HOW TO BE A HEARTBREAKER- Marina  
> OCEAN EYES- Billie Eilish  
> ( Honestly, I just played everything in repeat until I was done)  
> ...

**_“Hello_** Dr. Nishioka, so glad to see you’ve made it today!”

“Thank you for the invitation. I’ve been quite busy for a while, that’s why I've had to skip the other dinners.” Tora explained as he got kissed on the cheek by the other woman. She was tall, brunette, and dressed to the nines. She was also eyeing him as if he was a piece of meat, but he didn’t comment on that. He knew that she was interested on him...

But he also knew that _he_ was not.

“No plus one tonight?” she inquired as if it was something casual to ask, but Tora knew better.

“They had to be at work tonight,” he responded easily because he wanted to make sure she knew that he was still not interested in what she’d been offering for the past three years.

“Oh, you’ve got a girlfriend?” she asked in a surprised tone. 

“More or less,” he said, and his mind went straight to Poppy and her soft brown hair as it pooled around her head like a halo as she slept on his pillow... That’s how she was this morning at four, before she woke up in a panic and realized she was going to be late for work. She hadn’t meant to oversleep, or stay over for that matter, and she’d freaked out—jumping from the bed and rushing about trying to grab her things.

He'd finally calmed her down, sat her at the table, and made her some quick breakfast while she showered. Then, he’d driven her to her apartment so she could grab some clean clothes before dropping her off at work five minutes before her shift started. She'd given him a look when told she freaked out over nothing and was about to get out of the car without a proper goodbye until he’d pulled her back and given her a thorough kiss...

“Sounds like it’s something that hasn’t been figured out yet...” the woman said with a soft purr, her hand sliding down his arm. Tora looked at her hand before gently removing it.

 _“I’ve_ figured it out already,” he replied and took a step back from her. “Thank you for the invitation. I have to go speak with one of the other doctors. Bye.”

The brunette stared at him with wide angry eyes. He had just brushed her off like nothing! Who was this other person that he was interested in? Surely, she wasn’t as beautiful as herself? She scoffed and walked off to get herself something to drink from the punch table.

Tora was bored out of his mind. Usually these dinners were interesting to come to, there were several presentations on different topics and even small gift bag giveaways. Not even that was interesting to him anymore. He looked down and saw that he had a message from Poppy. He grinned when he opened it and saw the goofy selfie she’d sent him with a mask on which she’d drawn a mustache with a Sharpie.

The brunette saw him smiling down at his phone from across a couple tables and scoffed again. 

“What are you huffing about?” one of her other coworkers asked her when she did it a second time. She gave him a look and nodded in Tora’s direction.

“Him. Apparently, he has a girlfriend that no one knows about. Look at that stupid grin on his face. I want to smack it off,” she said, and the other woman gave her a look.

“I thought you were over that already. How long have you been trying to get with him and he continues to give you the cold shoulder? What, like three years?”

“He just doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“He doesn’t _need_ to know that if he already has what he needs at home,” her coworker shot back and shook her head at her friend. “You need to stop it with that. Because I am your friend and I care about you, I will tell you this: if he doesn’t want you, stop throwing yourself at him. Have a little self-respect, Jane.”

Jane pouted and shot Tora another angry look. “Just what would this woman have that I don’t? I am beautiful, I have a good job. I work out and keep my figure—I mean, look at me! I’m like every man’s hot dream come true!” Jane hissed perhaps a little too loud and two providers on the other table gave her a look. She flushed and dropped her gaze, trying to keep her attention on her friend now.

“Every man’s except that one. Now, stop it and focus on why we’re here.”

Jane shot Tora another look and pouted. This year was going to suck again.

..

 ** _Poppy_** couldn’t stop laughing. She was laughing so hard that she started choking on her own spit.

It was Friday night, which was also their Friday at work, and pay day. Three things in one day, one of those glorious days that couldn’t get any better, except of course it did. Jacob had just walked into a room to check on a patient and found her naked from the waist down, her legs spread, and when he’d stuttered to a stop and asked her what she was doing, she’d simply said her knee hurt...

“Her KNEE hurt. Her freaking _KNEE_ hurt.” Jacob explained in a disgusted tone. “Her freaking knee, and she was there naked. What the actual frick?”

Erdene was holding on to her C.O.W. as she cackled at the story. “This is beautiful! So beautiful! Only you Jacob! Only you! This is better than the time that one lady came in for a bad bladder infection and gave you a whole spiel about her _toys_!”

Jacob gave Erdene a look. “You enjoy this, but wait until you get some crappy patient yourself.”

“Uh huh. Poppy is the one that gets all the _crappy_ patients,” Erdene pointed out. “Remember when she dropped that colostomy bag on her leg?”

“Please don’t remind me!” Poppy said with a scowl. Then started laughing again because she’d remembered something that happened to Erdene. “I might get all the crappy ones, but you are always walking into either dead, coding, or fallen patients,” Poppy counted it off on her fingers. Erdene sighed heavily.

“Gurl, don’t even get me started on that.” She wiped her tear-stained eyes and sighed again. “God, I needed a good laugh. This week’s been crazy.”

“Sure, has been.” Jacob agreed as he printed something out and got some injections from his C.O.W. “Can y’all keep an eye out on my patients. I have to go dress a wound.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

_Once_ Jacob was out of earshot, Erdene turned to Poppy.

“Soooo, are we going to talk about what's going on between you and Dr. Nishioka?”

Poppy glanced up from her computer screen and raised her eyebrows at her friend. “What?”

“You and the doc. I saw him following you out the door during the Christmas party.”

“I left with Jacob.” Poppy shook her head.

“Yeah, but Jacob took the Uber home. You didn’t leave _with_ him. One plus one did not give me two in that case,” the slender girl pointed out. “Poppy, plllleeeeease, tell me that you went home with him. Please! Take one for the team. For me, for you, and for all the women in this hospital that want to spend a delicious night lying under that hot body of his. Like, gawd help me, he could plank me any day!” Erdene fanned herself dramatically while Poppy giggled and shook her head at her.

“You are something else, ‘Dene.”

“Bah! I’m just having a dry spell,” she pointed out at which Poppy frowned.

“What happened between you and Dr. B? I thought there was something there?”

“Yeah, for a while. But now, he’s back to being all weird and I haven’t gotten any in a while. I think he’s been having daddy issues.” Erdene looked around and leaned closer to Poppy, whispering. “Did you know that his father is actually one of the founders of this place?”

“What?”

“Yeah, Dear Daddy Balthuman is one of the main head honchos of this place. I didn’t know what until Dr. B told me the other day. No wonder he really likes to keep his life on the down low. Dr. B is even worse than Dr. Nishioka at keeping women away. I had to really, really, really work it to get his attention.” Erdene got a faraway look on her face as she said it.

Poppy bit her lip as she tried to figure out what to tell Erdene. She wasn’t the usual girl who went around talking about her sex-capades—not that she got a lot of those—but she did want to talk to someone about it because it was driving her insane. 

“Alright, spill it.”

Poppy glanced around the station to make sure no one else was around to overhear.

“Please don’t freak out—”

“You started with that and I’m already freaking out!” Erdene whispered. She leaned closer to Poppy. “Tell me.”

“I’ve kind of been… getting with Dr. N—” Erdene clapped her hands to her mouth in excitement and to keep herself from screaming. “—and please don’t tell anyone!”

Erdene clapped her hands happily before looking at Poppy with a wide grin. “This is the best news ever in the whole history of evers! Oh, my gawd, gurl, how? How did you catch that one? How… and wow. You have my respects, entirely,” Erdene said as she gave Poppy a little bow. 

“Erdene!”

“I’m messing with you! But seriously, wow,” Erdene said with a sigh. “Man. So glad it’s you. I mean, sure, if he had ever looked at me twice, I would’ve tried to tap that, but alas, it never happened. Anyways, you and I have got to talk! Later!” Erdene gave Poppy the ‘I’m-watching-you' look before she hurried off to see her patient.

Honestly, Poppy wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, but she was still sort of with Tora. 

Every other day or so, they’d meet up, usually at his house, and spend time together. He was actually easy going once you got to know him, quite the opposite of the stern doctor he portrayed at work. Sarcastic sense of humor and a big heart for the small things that would normally get overseen by others, he was a great person to hang out with an unwind.

And don’t even get her started on the sex.

Oh, lord. That man was sex on a stick.

Poppy fanned herself when she felt her cheeks heat up as she remembered the previous night….

...

 ** _They_** were only supposed to meet up for dinner and maybe a movie and just talk about their day. Just to relax. But Netflix and chill had taken a turn when Poppy started talking about some male nurse on the ER unit that had asked her for her number. Tora had tensed up slightly that anyone seeing him from afar wouldn’t have noticed anything, but Poppy who had been leaning on his shoulder felt it.

“How in the world did you meet the ER nurse if we’re like four floors apart?” He tried to make it seem like an offhand question, but she’d noticed the underlying roughness of his voice.

“I don’t know, cafeteria? We happened to go to lunch around the same time and I’m usually on my last couple minutes when he comes in for his,” Poppy said, and for a second, she wondered why she had to be telling him this. She didn’t have to be telling him anything. It’s not like they were in a relationship, besides the occasional hanky-panky they shared. They were adults and could do what they wanted, with whom they wanted. He didn’t have her freaking out over what female nurses or female doctors spoke to him.

“I thought it was weird that you’ve been spending an awful lot of time in that cafeteria…” Tora trailed off and Poppy frowned. Was he insinuating that she only went downstairs to see that other guy?

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked as she pulled back to sit up straight and look at him. 

“What do you mean?”

“No. What do _you_ mean?”

“I’m not saying anything at all. I just said you’ve been downstairs more often than not.” Tora’s heart was racing. How did they go from cuddling on the couch to her glaring at him? “Poppy?”

“I think it’s time for me to go home now, Tora. I have to work tomorrow and it’s late.”

Poppy turned away and stood up, only to be pulled back by his large hand on her arm. She glared at him as she tried to pull her arm out of his grasp without success.

“Poppy… come on. Stay the night. I can go drop you off tomorrow. Or later.” She frowned. Why was he like this? All the time. He’d be rude or snappy at times, then come around afterwards trying to apologize. Sleeping with each other didn’t give him the right to be bossy and mean. She glared at him, her heart confused as hell as to why he had to be complicated sometimes.

“You’re acting way too overprotective,” she started and watched the way his eyes darkened, slitting as he studied her. “We get together a couple times and you start acting like a Neanderthal!” 

He was momentarily shocked before he started laughing loudly. Poppy scoffed and yanked her arm out of her grasp, crossing both arms over her chest as she continued to glare at him. Why was he laughing? Was he laughing at her? He was. Stupid, overbearing, sarcastic, annoying, stick-up-his-ass doc—

“Bobby!” he grinned and took hold of her shoulders. “Why are you mad?”

“Because you’re laughing at me! I don’t know what you’ve found so funny. I don’t see it,” she huffed and tried not to pout. “And stop calling me ‘Bobby’!” She flushed at the mention of the nickname he’d given her. He’d started calling her that at work as well and she was just glad no one had tried to ask what it meant. She didn’t think she would be able to give a good explanation...

“Why? I like it. It brings good memories,” he said with a smile and pulled her against him. Of course, it would bring him good memories...Poppy looked away when she remembered how that nickname had come to be.

It had been during one of those times that they had been hanging out together, except this time it had been at her apartment. . One thing led to another and she found herself with her face on his groin. ‘Bobby’ was never going to be just a nickname for her every again, especially after all she could remember from that day was his golden eyes darkening as he gazed at her through his sex induced gaze, the way his hands clenched in her hair, the taste of… 

“Please. Look, I’m sorry. I’m an idiot, I’ll admit it. Come on, stay with me a little longer,” he urged as he pulled her towards him and she let him.

“You’re kind of an asshole sometimes,” she muttered as he pulled her into his lap and settled back into the comfy couch.

They sat in silence for a while as they watched TV, but Poppy couldn’t forget the look he’d given her when she mentioned the male nurse… She didn’t understand. They weren’t technically ‘dating’, only happened to be sleeping with each other. Not regularly, but with each other nonetheless. Sometimes, she’d go see him in his office and they’ll go over paperwork or anything else, a lot of work-related topics, very randomly would they talk about anything else related to themselves during work hours…

So why was he getting upset?

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and sighed. 

He could be confusing sometimes.

**_Tora_** was having a hard time concentrating on what they were seeing on TV. He knew that she was upset with him, but she wouldn’t mention it unless he brought it up again. He tried to keep his emotions under check because she was still a bit skittish around him… Even after everything they’d been through together.

Had he read her wrong?

Were they nothing more than just fuck buddies?

And who the hell was that nurse guy she had met?

He grunted his displeasure before he could stop himself and found Poppy eyeing him nervously. He looked the other way feeling somewhat embarrassed at his display of emotions.

Poppy didn’t say or ask him anything, but the questions laid behind her confused eyes.

Sometime later, he didn’t remember what he was angry about.

Poppy’s hands had begun wandering around his chest. He knew she did it without really noticing what she was doing… or maybe she knew what she was doing—he’d figure it out later if he could—but she absentmindedly drew her fingers around his chest, around his stomach. 

They were still on the couch, Poppy laying partly on him, using him as a cushion, while he laid sideways on the couch. She was so small compared to him that he could lay there all day and not mind it at all. She made some comment about the movie they started watching and he had to ask twice what she had said because her straying fingers were doing things to his brain.

She turned her head on his shoulder and looked at him.

“I said, I’ve never watched these movies before,” she repeated with a nod towards the TV. “Not a single one of them.”

It was the _Resident Evil_ series.

“Uh, yeah. They’re good for passing the time.”

“Hmm.” She turned her head again and resumed the position she had been in before.

Pretty soon, her fingers were wandering again. He tried to keep his mind on the movie because she hadn’t verbally made any inclination that she had come over for sex at all. Sure, it was great, but he tried to keep his hands to himself as much as possible if she made no move to show him she also wanted it.

They’d rushed in so quickly into whatever this was they had going on, he didn’t want to mess it up or get himself even more confused.

“You’re so warm,” he heard her say as he hair began sliding under his shirt, over his abdomen to come rest on his chest. “You’re always warm, like a furnace. I swear, my hands and nose are always cold.”

“And your butt?”

“What?” she chuckled and gave him an amused look. “My butt?”

He grinned. “I told a patient once that he could ask me anything he wanted, as long as it was science slash medically related and he turned to his wife and said ‘Alright Doc, I don’t know if you know why this happens, but… why are women’s butts always so damn cold? I swear, her butt is always freezing. Is that a thing?’ I had never thought about it before.”

Poppy’s eyes widened before she started laughing. “Well then!”

Tora grinned. “Is your butt cold, too?”

“I don’t know. You tell me,” she replied with a shrug. He slid the hand that had been around her waist to the waist band of her leggings and under the band. His big warm hand met cool skin and he grinned because her bottom was indeed cold. He gave it a squeeze that had tingles shooting through her.

“Yup. Cold.”

“Maybe it’s a women thing?”

“Maybe it’s the fact that you like to wander around in thin leggings that provide no protection at all. No wonder your ass is always cold,” Tora pointed out and she giggled, resting her head back on his shoulder.

“Meh. Whatever. That’s why we get furnace-resembling guys like you to warm us up.”

“Alright.”

Tora didn’t move his hand from its current spot on her bottom and she didn’t comment on it. 

_Her_ hand was wandering again. Further up. Almost teasing.

She really wasn’t just aimlessly wandering anymore, she was being deliberate, Tora concluded when her fingers landed on his nipple.

Fuck.

He heard her giggle slightly when he tensed at the feeling of his finger pads, and soon felt her tiny fingers—her forefinger and thumb—close around one, now stiff, nipple. He said nothing because… well, damn. She just wanted to see how far she’d go.

Pretty soon, she was full-on messing with him, poking at him, teasing the other nipple, running her little nails down his chest and around. She gave him a particularly hard pinch that had him raising his eyebrows and looking down at her. She was looking at the TV—probably pretending to be watching the movie—but he saw the blush on her cheeks.

Little shit.

So, he did the next best thing and pulled his hand out from around her butt cheek and slid it around her neck, down her shirt collar, and into her bra, finally finding her warm breast.

She sputtered something incoherent but didn’t look up at him.

Fine. Two could play this game.

.

**Shoot.**

Poppy felt Tora’s hand slide out her leggings and was momentarily bummed. Maybe boobs on guys didn’t have a real connection as much as women and boobs? She’d felt him tensing when she’d begun messing with his chest, but he’d said nothing yet.

When his hand begun sliding into her shirt she felt her face heat up even more.

Player two had joined in.

She bit her lip to keep herself from moaning when his hand closed around her breast and gave her a squeeze. His hand was big, warm, and just plain out delicious on her body. She concluded that maybe he _had_ been affected, but just had better control than she apparently did.

When his fingers pinched her nipple softly, she bit her lip again because she really was going to start moaning soon. She loved it. Just… his hands on her could turn her into immediate putty. He kept passing his palm over her breast, running his fingers around her nipple, and then would randomly pull on it whenever he apparently felt like it.

Yup. She could feel herself getting aroused, could feel that warmth spreading through her body, from the top of her head to her feet and definitely everything in between. How embarrassing was it that he could do this to her so quickly, so easily?

After swallowing hard, she told him, “You know I have two boobs, right?” All this without turning her head, still staring at the TV screen.

Tora chuckled and moved his hand to find her other breast, giving it the same treatment he had given the first one, feeling her body warming up under his. When the hand that had been resting on his stomach started inching lower towards his groin, it was his turn to hold back the groan that wanted to come out. He shivered when her fingers started tracing patterns on the soft hair below his navel, fingers following the trailing line to the top of his jeans. He didn’t say anything, just kept his hand on her breast, but his eyes were focused on the blushing skin of her face.

Then, she slid her hand under the waistband of his jeans and under his boxer briefs, beelining it to his now half-tumescent penis that ached for her touch.

“Fuck.”

That actually got Poppy to look up at him again, her eyes half lidded as she bit her lip and stared at him.

“Are you finally going to stop pretending that you’re interested on the movie?” he asked her in a rough voice. She smirked at him and shrugged her pretty shoulders.

“Are you finally going to stop pretending that you’re not interested in what my hands were doing?” she countered in a rather husky tone that he’d only heard when she was really turned on. 

“I was trying to see where you were going with this.”

“Going places.”

“I can see that.” He grunted when her hand closed around his penis and slid her hand up to the sensitive head. “If you’re going to tease me, at least release me so you can do it properly.”

Poppy laughed and motioned for him to slide his arm out from her shirt. She pulled herself up to a sitting position between his legs and started pulling at the button and zipper of his pants, and while he lifted his bottom off the couch briefly, she pulled his both jeans and underwear down his thighs, enough to free his now erect penis and the soft sac underneath to her gaze.

“Hello, old friend, we meet again,” she said and Tora snorted at that, moaning heavily right after when her right hand closed over it again. She’d learned—from Tora because she hadn’t needed it before—that it a hand job or a blowjob worked better with two hands, or hand and mouth, if the guy was big enough or too big. In Tora’s case, it was the latter. Or just right. Whichever it was. She hadn’t been thinking about this earlier, but somewhere along the last couple minutes her body had decided for her.

She slid her hand down and up his length, taking time to caress the dark head, and soon had him leaking from the top. She glanced up at him from behind her eyelashes and saw that he was watching her intently, his gaze dark, hot, and focused entirely on her. He had a way to make her feel sexy, to make her feel powerful, that she could make him do whatever she wanted. Thinking that he’d had a rough week at work, just the same as her, she slid off the couch and to her knees, still facing him. His eyes widened when she saw her intention and he quickly sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the couch as well so she could kneel between them.

He groaned, throwing his head back again the couch, when her lips finally dropped to his lap, taking the leaking head between her lips and sucking on it experimentally. She hadn’t really enjoyed oral before, hadn’t found the need to do this to anyone, but with Tora everything was different. Her inhibitions weren’t so prominent anymore, and although she was still relatively on the shy side, she knew that she could trust him to let her walls down.

She held on to the base of his shaft and worked her hand there as her mouth worked the top. She knew he was watching her, could feel his burning gaze on the top of her head, so she glanced back at him as she worked her mouth over him... 

**Shit**.

Shit. Shit.

Fuck.

He was in trouble.

How? Well, who would’ve known that his tiny shy nurse of his would be doing this to him? That she could easily control him with a touch of her hand... She had been snappy before, he knew the danger of her mouth, but shit, this was different. He could now see the kind of power she wielded over him.

He found himself breathing heavily when she started taking him deeper into her mouth and smirked when it hit him why she was a good nurse—she was a quick learner. She had confided in him that she didn’t have much practice in the BJ department, he’d noticed it from her technique that first time, but with a little encouragement and soft guidance from his hand, she now had him at her mercy.

“You know,” he started and paused briefly to groan, one so deep that she felt it reverberate all the way down his body to her throat, “You’re going to make me cum soon...”

“Then do it,” she mumbled around his penis and he shook his head.

“I’d rather do it in you.”

“Ah.” Poppy gave him one last suck and raised her head from his lap. “Alright, let’s do this. Can’t have good ideas go to waste.” She reached up and pulled his head down as far as she could so she could kiss him hard. He obliged, soon following her to the floor where he rested over her, sliding up between her spread thighs as she kissed him.

There was just something about her, something that drove him crazy.

He leaned back on his shoulders and looked down at her. Her hair had slipped out of her braids and was all over the place, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips puffy. She turned a darker shade of pink under his gaze.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just watching you.”

“Do I have monkeys on my face? Booger in my nose?” she asked and he chuckled.

“No. Just you.” He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her slowly, thoroughly, enjoying the small sounds she made and the way she moved against him. When he finally lifted his mouth of hers, he added, “Just you. You're beautiful.”

Poppy blinked. “Oh.”

“Yeah. Now, let’s get this shirt off you.”

She nodded as she let him pull her top over her head. He pulled his shirt off as well, telling her to sit up a moment while he placed it under her so she could lay on it. Kissing again, he ran his hands down her side, enjoying the softness of her curves and the warmth of her body. Everything about her called out to him—her smiles, her expressive eyes, the way she fit into his hands and the way he fit into hers—it made him want things he hadn’t thought about before and didn’t understand.

Breathing hard, he lifted his hips off hers and gave her room so they could wiggle her leggings and panties off. When that was done, he sat back and looked at her. He wanted to eat her up.

He kissed near her ear, making goosebumps rise over her skin, turning her nipples pebbly. He traced his mouth from her ear down her neck, to the spot near her collarbone, enjoying all the small sounds of pleasure that she made. Her hands kept trying to pull him in, but he pulled back. He wanted to plunge into her, he wanted to make her wait, he wanted everything.

He caressed her breasts as his hands dipped to her waist, lower, to touch between her legs. She moaned, gasping as she grabbed onto his arms. His hands drove her crazy. She panted as she felt him teasing her with a finger, felt his thumb slide over her aching pearl, making her want more. She didn’t … she didn’t understand what felt different about today, about this time. How many times had they done this and yet, something was different today.

“Tora, please!” she whimpered when his thumb slid over her clit again, not really pressing, more of a simple caress and it drove her crazy. “I thought you said you were almost there!?”

“Yeah, me. But what about you?”

She scowled. “Please, please. I want to feel you.”

“Nah, sweetheart, you and I are in this together,” he said as he sat back and leaned down to kiss her swollen nerve. She groaned loudly, her hands flying to grasp at his head between her legs.

“Yes!”

It didn’t take long before she came, her body trembling, twisting as she tried to get away from his mouth. His pants were already around his ankles from before and all he had to do was pulled Poppy towards him, spreading her thighs wider to accommodate his body. He angled her hips up as he rested her slightly on his knees, and taking himself in one hand, he jerked himself off once, twice, before slapping her swollen, pink entrance once. Her eyes snapped to his, wide and confused, and she moaned again as her hands shot out to touch her breasts.

“Please, please, please!”

He almost sunk into her before he realized that they were on the floor. They always seem to find themselves in the worst places possible. This was different. It felt different. He pulled back and Poppy frowned.

“Tora?”

“We’re going to my bed.” 

“But here is perfectly fine,” she said as Tora stood up and pulled her to her feet. He fixed his jeans, and before Poppy knew it, he’d taken thrown his arm under her knees and held her to himself as he carried her upstairs. She clung to him for dear life and stared at his face. He looked determined.

Tora kicked the door to his bedroom open and carried Poppy inside to the bed where he placed her gently. She pushed herself upwards towards the pillows and watched him kicked his jeans off and stand naked before her; his tall, tanned body, hard and strong, and his golden eyes eyeing her appreciatively. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he repeated as he took her in, naked and soft in his bed. He climbed on to the bed, over her, and she immediately made room for him between her thighs.

With his lips over hers, his tongue seeking hers and tasting her, he finally slid into her.

She would never get used to the feel of his body in hers. The way that he felt moving inside her. Poppy held on to his shoulders as he began to move over hers, setting a pace that would benefit the both of them. 

“Poppy, Poppy...” 

She glanced up at him. Usually he wasn’t this vocal. Besides the usual moan and groan, he was relatively a quiet lover. What he didn’t say with his hands, he relayed through his body. This was different. She watched his eyes, those strange golden eyes of his that stared down at her. He was so beautiful...

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful!” he whispered as he kissed her again.

What was going on? He felt him speed up, push harder, deeper.

“You drive me crazy. You're so beautiful!” he said again and she watched him. “My god, you’re perfect.” 

She gasped, holding tightly as he really started pounding into her, stray hairs were beginning to cling to his sweaty forehead. She moved those out of the way with her hand as she cradled his face. He kissed her fingers, his breathing harsh as he panted and groan over her.

She could feel herself start to climb for that high again. 

“So beautiful, so sweet...” he panted as his pace slowed, but he pushed deeper. His body was on fire, her body felt so warm, so perfectly molded to his. He could feel his heart racing and he knew it had nothing to do with what they were doing at that moment.

“Tora?” she whispered in confusion. What was going on?

“You’re perfect. You’re beautiful. You’re... just something else.” He told her and she felt herself get teary.

“What?”

 _And I think… I'm falling in love… with you._

“How can you be so kind?”

_But I can’t say it._

_“_ So sweet?”

_You won’t like it. And I’m so afraid..._

He caressed his face against her hands like a cat and kissed her palm. She was looking at him lost, confused, teary.

“And you’re going to make some lucky man happy someday...” _I wish it was me._

 _“TORA!”_ she whimpered through her tears, and he couldn’t hold it anymore. He kissed her hard, deeply, with everything he felt inside, hoping she could feel it, too. He held her tight as he finally gave up all control and pounded away at her, thrusting hard until his body was burning and he heard her groan into their kiss, gasping... And finally let go, too.

“Poppy...”

When his heart finally slowed and calmed, he looked over at Poppy lying next to him. She had fallen asleep with her hand curled around his...There were tear streaks on her face, but she was sleeping peacefully. Her hair around his pillow like a halo, he knew the sweet smell of her strawberry shampoo would linger even after she was gone.

Tora fell asleep watching her...

.

.

 **Poppy** sighed and realized she’d probably been staring at her computer screen for too long. She looked around and saw that no one was waiting for her or anything, the other nurses going about their rounds as she got ready to go on lunch.

Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out from the pocket at her thigh. She smiled when she saw it was a message from Tora.

**_This dinner is boring._ **

He was a grump. Of course, he would say that.

 **Suck it up, buttercup** **,** she messaged him back quickly.

She giggled at the picture he sent her. It was mostly his chin and obviously he’d tried taking the selfie inconspicuously, but all that she could see was up his nose.

She took a quick picture in the same manner and sent it to him.

**Now we match. Nostril pictures. I can see up your nose.**

He messaged her almost immediately.

 ** _I want to be up your... (o_^)_**

She snorted at that and shook her head. She sent him another message and told him he’d see him later, after work and to pay attention at the dinner. He replied with a skull emoji and a sad face, but told her he’d pick her up.

Poppy smiled and put her phone away. 

She had a feeling that something crazy was happening, but she didn’t worry. Crazy things happened to her all the time. She was a nurse after all. With a sigh, she turned back to her computer to finish her last chart before heading to lunch.

No matter what, she told herself, no matter what happened, she would enjoy the ride and be happy that it happened...

**...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi y'aaaaallll. Alright, who loves MPL!? MEEEEEEE!  
> It's getting so exciting!
> 
> A few people have asked me about going on the FB page for MPL, and due to personal privacy work rules (that were even more implemented lately. Thanks HR) I will refrain from joining anything right now.  
> But thank you anyways, to all the lovely folks that let me know that people enjoyed UNDERNEATH THE FACADE :)  
> Thank you, that means so much!!!
> 
> It's been a crazy couple days (I had to put on my nurse pants and screamed at some crazy lady last Friday) but here is this upload for those that kept asking about it.  
> ;) ;) ;)  
> tell me what you think :D  
> and what you could possibly want to read about next.


	5. Thought You Were Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, love is stupid. People get a little stupid with love.  
> That's what's happening with Tora and Poppy and both are too stubborn to figure out what's going on anymore.  
> ..............................  
> ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO LILYDUSK FOR HER WORK, "MIDNIGHT POPPY LAND" ON WEBTOONS.  
> FOLLOW HER ON PATREON FOR AWESOME GOODIES ;D  
> ..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOVER- Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendez  
> SAY YOU LOVE ME- Jessie Ware  
> PIECES- Jessie Ware  
> HARDEN MY HEART- Quarterflash  
> WHEN I WAS OLDER- Billie Eilish  
> GUREN NO YUMIYA- Relaxing Piano Crew (Piano version only)  
> .................
> 
> I've been dealing with some emotional crap lately. Can you tell?  
> Here's a little more confusing piece between our beautifully sassy Poppy and beautifully delicious Tora.  
> Enjoy!

**The** fact that they were sleeping together didn’t mean that anything had changed between them at work.

At least, that’s what Poppy had told Tora one day after he’d given her a very thorough kiss when she’d visited his office. She tried to keep her distance at work, tried to pretend everything was the same, and that they still had their OCD Doctor and Nurse relationship. But so many things felt different…

“You can’t play favorites,” she told him once more when he’d left her a coffee on her desk. Erdene had arrived before Poppy and seen Tora walking away after dropping off the coffee. She’d grinned like the Cheshire cat at her and wiggled her eyebrows, pointing out that he must really like her for him to be leaving her hot drinks on her desk.

Poppy had blushed red and hissed at Erdene to quit it because Jacob was giving them a funny look.

Come May, a new nurse started on the floor and been assigned to shadow Poppy.

Candy was about a year, or two, younger than Poppy, bright and talkative, and with pink hair that she’d been asked by admin to tone it down to a moderate appropriate color. At first glance, she looked perhaps a little bratty, annoyed at life, but Poppy concluded that was just the face she had, because she was _very_ talkative… and a little ‘blonde’ at times.

God was probably trying to punish Poppy after all her sex-capades with Tora because every day she had to be with Candy felt like torture.

Poppy was in the middle of explaining to Candy how to pull up recent labs on the system when she heard the girl comment on something.

“Ooh, la la! Where did that guy come from?”

“Hmm?”

Poppy raised her head and followed the direction of Candy’s gaze… and found herself looking at none other than Tora. She felt a pang of… _something_ hit her square in the chest, and she frowned slightly before turning back to the girl.

“That’s _Doctor_ Nishioka.” Poppy made a point to emphasis the title and the last name before Candy got any other crazy ideas. She didn’t quite like the look Candy was giving him, as if he was a tall glass of water in the desert.

And Candy was _thirsty_.

“Well, he can be _my_ doctor any day,” Candy murmured. “I think I’m coming down with something that might need to be checked out.”

Poppy scowled and shook her head.

“You’re going to get yourself fired. It’s on the handbook. No interpersonal relationships between coworkers.” Poppy was glad that Tora hadn’t looked their way. He was talking to Erdene about a patient, going over some paperwork that he kept pointing at on her hands.

 _You’re a hypocrite, girl,_ Poppy’s conscience reminded her _. Because you’re having a very INTERpersonal relationship with that man._ She shoved the thought away as she gave Candy a look—the girl didn’t notice because she was still eyeing Tora—and asked her to return to what they were doing on the computer.

Candy gave Tora one last look before turning back to what Poppy was explaining.

Poppy had a headache the rest of the day and felt like stabbing someone with a fork. She had to be extra careful to not show anything that would indicate something was going on between herself and Tora, while at the same time trying to discourage Candy from gaining extra interest in the man.

She ignored Tora’s call that night and when he’d messaged her asking how she was doing and if she was okay, all she texted back was that she had a migraine and was going to sleep early.

Poppy followed after Candy as she did her round, as she introduced herself to patients, as she did her med pass. Poppy had to make sure that Candy knew the ins and outs of the place, that she gained enough knowledge and confidence, that she caught any mistakes that could potentially hurt someone. So far, besides that girl being a little airheaded, she was nice and friendly with the patients.

Heart sinking a little, Poppy pointed out something on a chart that would require them calling the doctor and asking for new orders.

The doctor being TORA.

“So, all the providers’ extensions are on the board here,” Poppy explained as she pointed a long chart on the board. “Our floor’s providers, different units and their secretaries’ extensions. Our Charge Nurse will post the name of the nurses on the floor for the day, as well as their walkie’s extensions if you need to speak to one.” She pointed at a whiteboard where the Charge Nurse had listed the assignments for the day. Candy’s name was right under Poppy’s as “shadowing”.

Candy nodded and looked at the charts, slightly overwhelmed at the amount of names and numbers listed on there. She hoped that she’d eventually be able to know what they all meant and be quick and efficient as Poppy and the other nurses seemed on the floor.

“Okay. So, our patient in 404 will need an order for new IV antibiotics. Turns out, he’s allergic to the one he has right now aaaand we don’t want to make him have a reaction,” Poppy explained as she instructed Candy to pull up his chart so they could review it and get information. “Once we have this information, his allergies, the problem, why he’s here for, etcera, we get to call the doctor.”

“Okay. Since he just got transferred here, where do I find out who his attending doctor is?”

“Right here, top left corner.” Poppy wanted to groan at the bright look that came over Candy’s face as she realized they were going to be speaking to Tora.

“Oh. Okay.” Candy finished writing down some information before Poppy indicated that she was ready to give him a call. She dialed his extension and waited for him to answer. “Good morning, Dr. Nishioka, this is nurse Candy from fourth floor. Hi… I’m good, thank you.” Poppy mentally rolled her eyes at the wide grin that came over the other girl’s face. “I was calling in regards to Mr. XXX_ XXX, room 404B. Nurse Poppy and I wanted to see if you can order….”

Poppy listened to Candy as she spoke to Tora and told herself that it was because she had to make sure that the girl didn’t miss any relevant information. Truth was, she was trying to see that the girl wouldn’t say or do something crazy… In regard to Tora.

She mentally kicked herself on the butt and told herself that she had no business feeling… _Jealous_?… Over a man that she was not in a formal relationship with. Sex didn’t mean love, love didn’t always mean sex, and playing the Hanky-Panky games didn’t meant they were together- _together_. She swallowed the hard lump that tried to form in her throat and bit back the pout that threatened to form on her lips.

She had no right over Tora and he was still technically free to do whatever the hell he wanted.

Was she being stupid? Had she read too much into their situation? Should she not trust him and his intentions?

What did it mean to him? Did it mean the same to him as it did to her? Then again, what exactly did it mean to her?

He’d called her beautiful… But men said a lot of things to get into women’s pants.

Had he meant it? Poppy gave Candy a glance—she was pretty, too, would he consider her a catch as well? Would he consider calling her beautiful as well?

Poppy sighed and tried to chase those thoughts away, turning back to Candy and the wide grin on her face.

Poppy wanted to smack it away.

.

 **Poppy** was on her way out when she heard Candy telling Erdene about how dreamy and nice Dr. Nishioka’s voice was. Erdene had an amused, confused, and bewildered look on her face as she listened to the girl going on about her conversation with Tora on the phone.

Erdene knew about Poppy and Tora and wondered if Poppy was aware of the girl’s apparent infatuation with the tall man.

Sure, she’d joked with Poppy about Tora before, but that was before she knew there was actually something going on between them. Now, she still teased the doctor, but on moderation, and nothing crazy. As far as he was aware, Erdene didn’t know about what was going between him and Poppy.

And she wasn’t about to bring it up.

Erdene caught the look of disgust and annoyance on Poppy’s face over the top of Candy’s head and shook her head at the girl.

“You know, Candy. It can be all jokes and teasing between us two but be careful that no one else hears you. You could get yourself into trouble if you tried something,” Erdene warned the girl who blushed brightly but shut her trap.

“Uh, Poppy told me that already.” Candy blinked, looking thoughtful for a second, before adding, “Hey, do you think that the doctor has a thing for Poppy? He seems extremely friendly towards her, even though she looks like she wants to punch him.”

Erdene sighed. Yeah, she’d noticed the way that Poppy had been acting around Tora lately, aloof and distant, and the confused glances he’d been throwing her way. Had something happened between the two? Hopefully not, they actually made a cute couple, in her opinion.

“Nah. That’s just their relationship,” she saw the look on Candy’s face, “WORK relationship, Candy. He’s kind of… a difficult doctor to work with sometimes, but somehow she manages it.”

“I’ve noticed. He’s very intimidating, but…” Another dreamy look came over the girl, “He’s still very attractive. It’s not a problem if it’s not in the work-place, right?”

Erdene scowled. “Don’t be getting yourself into any trouble.”

“But you guys pointed out ‘the workplace’, anything else goes?” Candy pointed out. Erdene didn’t know whether to walk away or throttle the girl. This was getting dangerous. “Poppy said he was single. He doesn’t seem to be too friendly with the other nurses…”

“Candy…”

“I won’t get myself in trouble.” Candy sighed. “I was just saying.”

“Okay. Fine. But let’s forget about that, and how about we go find out how our patients are doing?” Erdene said with a shake of her head. When she glanced back, Poppy was already gone.

Erdene wondered how she was going to survive a second shift with this girl.

**“Hello?”**

“Hi, sweetheart…”

Poppy wanted to groan.

“Hello.”

There was a pause and Poppy said nothing as she climbed into her car. That was a change, she’d finally gotten a car after being able to save enough for a down payment and being at work long enough to be stable.

“Are… Poppy, are you okay?” Tora asked when he heard the rather uninterested tone of her voice. She stared out the front of the car and bit her lip as she wondered what she could tell him. It wasn’t like she understood herself what was going on inside her head.

She was confused. Annoyed. A little bit of everything all at once.

And she felt foolish.

“Yeah. Just been feeling pretty exhausted lately. I have a migraine.”

“It seems like you’ve been having a lot of migraines lately,” he pointed out, and added, “Do you need something for it? Maybe you should see someone?”

 _A therapist, I need a therapist_ , Poppy told herself and grinned at her stupid joke.

“Nah. I’ll be fine. I just need sleep. Or a long vacation. I’m not quite sure which one it is yet.” She wanted to ask what he’d thought of Candy earlier, wanted to ask him what he’d told her for her to be all pink and flushed.

_Not my business, not my business, not my business…_

“If you want, you can come over later for dinner. I can make you something,” he offered, and she laughed despite herself. “I miss you. We haven’t hung out in a while.”

 _Do you miss me or my vagina_ , she wanted to ask but held her tongue. As for the hanging out part, it had been about two months. The only type of physical interaction (non-work related) that they’d had was when he kissed her in his office. Otherwise, they’d been keeping their distance.

“It’s alright. I think I just need sleep.”

“Hmm.” He hadn’t missed the fact that she’d ignored his ‘I miss you’ comment. “Are you upset with me?”

“What? Why would I be upset with you?” She hoped that her voice did not reveal her emotions. She’d been told she had very expressive facial expressions. She’d had to work on them so hard once she got into the medical field because sometimes your own face could get you in trouble. Strangely enough, it went one of two ways for her: either a blank face or expressive face, but both definitely came with word diarrhea because she apparently couldn’t keep her mouth shut sometimes.

“You’ve been acting strange, and I’m not sure if I like it…”

“I haven’t been acting strange. I’ve been acting as a nurse should act with the doctor she works with, respectful and mindful of each other’s distance.” Not one who’s sleeping with one.

“Look, I know we said we were going to act like nothing had changed between us, but you know that’s hard when I have to see you day after day,” he started, “But knowing the truth makes it difficult. I miss you. I just…don’t like the way it makes me feel.”

Poppy gulped. “Makes you feel? What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t know how to explain it… Useless? Unimportant?” he tried to explain and she frowned at that because it didn’t make sense to her.

“How in the world would this all make you feel useless and unimportant?”

“Because…Well, because I know that you don’t _need_ me. Whatever has happened between us in the beginning was due to a … misunderstanding of sorts. Every time after that has been a choice.” He paused and tried to think of how to explain his confusion and frustration without freaking her out. Without giving too much away that would just confuse her even more. “You’re self-sufficient, you’ve survived long enough without having me in your life… So yeah, it’s not a big deal to you probably if I’m there or not. You were doing quite well without me in it… And… I don’t know how… I-I…” He paused again and she heard him sigh heavily. “I’m stammering. Look—”

**_“CODE BLUE TO ROOM 405A, CODE BLUE TO ROOM 405A.”_ **

Poppy heard the Code being paged, followed by his very hard cursing.

“Look, Poppy. Please, can we talk later? Can I come by your place? I have to go.”

“I—”

“Poppy… Later, please. I have to go.”

With that, the line clicked and Poppy sat there staring at her phone screen at the avatar of Tora’s contact information.

.

 **Poppy** had gone home that evening, taken a quick shower, changed into her rattiest pajamas and parked herself in front of the TV to binge watch Netflix until she passed out.

She grabbed a bucket of ice cream from the fridge and had that for dinner. Not the healthiest for her body, for just exactly what her heart and mind needed.

And just because she felt like shit, she started watching ZOOTOPIA. It would normally make her happy, but pretty soon she found herself crying at the fox who got bullied by the other animals. She sniffed as she shoveled ice cream into her mouth, and then blew her nose on a Kleenex. She was being overdramatic, she knew that, but she couldn’t help feeling this way.

She didn’t want to feel this way, but she couldn’t help it. She was being stupidly, emotionally a girl. So what!?

And the worst part about everything? She knew that whatever she had going on with Tora was temporary. He was older than her, more mature, obviously much better looking. Heck, the man was absolutely gorgeous! And he was everything that she had only ever fantasized about, knowing that it was all it could ever be. A fantasy. A dream. A figment of her imagination.

Someday, he was going to realize that he was too good for her, that he could have anyone he wanted and not just a simple nurse and leave her behind. She was a dreamer with the best of them, but she was also a realist.

She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face at her knees while she started crying again.

Would it be better if she kept her distance from him? If they stopped doing what they were doing and things went back to the way it was before? They could take the last two months as a means of weaning off…

She cried herself to sleep that night and missed all of Tora’s calls and messages.

.

 **Tora** knew that there was something going on with Poppy. She didn’t seem to want to talk to him, she was keeping her distance, she was avoiding him. He knew it.

Sure, they’d talk about maintaining a proper work relationship, but this was ridiculous. They hadn’t actually spoken about her never answering his calls, or responding to his messages. She wouldn’t make eye contact and was ‘always busy’ with one thing or another while at work to the point that he couldn’t pull her off to the side to speak to her.

It’d been two weeks now.

He wasn’t sure he liked it, but he tried to tell himself that he was respecting her decision.

Was it that bad hanging out with him? He didn’t want to be pushy or seem needy, but he did miss her. Not even the sex part, but _her,_ her presence. Sure, the sex was great, she was beautiful and any man would be lucky to be with her, but it was more than that. At least for him.

Had he read her wrong?

He sat behind his desk in his office going over some lab results on his computer when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” he said without looking up.

“Hello, doctor.”

He looked up at the voice he didn’t really recognize and found the new nurse Candy standing in front of his desk.

“Oh, hello there. How can I help you?” Tora sat back, leaning against his chair. He motioned for the empty chair in front of his desk. “Go ahead, take a seat.”

“I wanted to talk to you about something. It’s nothing too crazy. I just…” She bit her lip nervously and scratched her forehead. “I wanted to tell you something.”

Tora couldn’t help but feel that there was something bad about to happen. His spidey senses were starting to tingle.

“Alright.”

“I…Please hear me out, and please promise that you won’t freak out,” she started and Tora stared. That didn’t sound like something good already, but he nodded either way. “I just want to let you know that I think you’re a great doctor. Your patients love you, and even though you’re super intimidating at first glance,” his eyebrows had raised exponentially. Wow. Well then. “I still find you intriguing.”

Tora stared at the girl, a little unsure of what to say, a little scared to say the wrong thing and get himself in trouble. He already had to deal with Poppy who seemed to be having an issue with him, and now another nurse was trying to hit on him?

 _Poppy never tried to hit on you, though_ , his brain reminded him, making him scowl.

“I know the other girls, Poppy and Erdene, both said that I could get in trouble but... You see, I'm not talking about anything related to work. I’m not dumb, it’s not like I plan to hit on you at work or get myself fired that way.” Candy twisted her hands together nervously. “I was thinking it’d be nice to get to know you. Maybe...a coffee or something? Easy things like that. A coffee, some dinner, or lunch, whatever.”

Tora felt momentarily frozen. What was he supposed to say to that?

 _You never took Poppy out for coffee, or lunch, or anything._..his brain mentioned again, making him feel horrible about the fact that he had never attempted to woo little Poppy. That day, he’d been in a mood and she’d been super pissed at him for being a jerk. It was a mistake, a coincidence that he had run into her at the Sleeping Room. No coffee, no smiles, no wooing, just bam.

_Yeah, you went straight for dessert._

Candy spoke again and brought him out of his reverie. “Doctor, I think you’re a very attractive man. Any girl would be very lucky to be with you.” Candy paused when she noticed that Tora still hadn’t said anything. Clearly, she’d made a complete fool of herself. She stared at him wide-eyed.

That was just the thing. Any girl would probably feel lucky to be with him, but he didn’t want _any girl_...He wanted a woman. And that woman just happened to be Poppy. He didn’t know what was going on with her, why she was acting so distant with him, but he aimed to find out. He told himself he wasn’t needy, because he wasn’t. He didn’t want to feel clingy either.

“Sir?”

Tora glanced back at Candy who was starting to look concerned.

“Are you okay? You look a little... lost. Maybe I should... go. I think this was a mistake.” She pulled the hand that she had rested on the desk back to herself. “I am so sorry. Forgive me if I've appeared pushy. Oh my god. I just hope this doesn’t cause any trouble between us.”

It was her turn to panic. She was going to lose her job. She was going to get fired if he decided to tell someone about this.

“Listen, Candy. I’m sorry. I’m not...” _I’m not interested in you_ , he wanted to say, but refrained because it sounded harsh and cold. “I’m actually in a relationship with someone right now. It’s sort of complicated at the moment, but I really like her and wouldn’t want to hurt her.”

Candy managed to look surprise. She hadn’t known that he was in a relationship. She’d asked Erdene and Poppy if they knew if the doctor had a girlfriend or something. They’d both said he was a very private man, as far as they knew he didn’t, and that she would get fired if she tried something funny.

“I could’ve sworn Poppy said you didn’t have a girlfriend,” Candy muttered, thinking about how it sucked and now she’d made a fool of herself.

“Wait what... Poppy? Why did you ask _Poppy_?” That’s what she said, huh? Ouch. What the hell were they doing? What were they?

_Not your girlfriend, though. You’ve never asked her!_

Candy flushed, looking scared now. “Uh...”

“Why did you ask Poppy?”

Candy swallowed, twisting her hands in her lap even more. “Because I thought she would know something. You two seem close, and Erdene said that you’ve been working together for a while now. I figured, if anyone knew anything, it would have to be Poppy. But she didn’t want to talk about it, said it was your privacy, but that as far as she knew, you didn’t. Please don’t get mad at her!” Candy asked urgently. “Please! It wasn’t her fault! It was all my stupid foolishness!”

Tora simply stared at Candy before looking away.

He was confused and slightly hurt. He tried to make himself better by reminding himself that they’d both agreed to keep it quiet at work. Yes, that was it. Nothing else. Perhaps that was the reason why had told Candy that he was single.

“And you asked Poppy if I was single?”

“Uh,” Candy wasn’t sure if she should keep talking. The look on his face was unreadable, although she would probably say he was upset. “Yes...”

“Can you elaborate on that? Can you tell me exactly how you asked her, and what she responded?” Now he was just being paranoid, but he couldn’t help it.

“I...uh. I might have mentioned to her that I thought you were attractive,” the nurse responded as she blushed brightly. “She stared at me as if I was crazy and told me that you didn’t date women.” Tora scowled at that, feeling his face heat up as well. What the actual fuck? “I know. I was a little thrown off, but she clarified that she’d never seen you, or heard about you dating anyone from work, that you were a private person. Uh, she said that I could get in trouble for trying to ‘hook up’ with you. I may have teased her a little bit about how she’d been working with you for so long and hadn’t made a move. I thought she was going to punch me in the face. Haha... She didn’t. She just looked offended and said that she liked to keep professional and that included not being in relationships with the providers...”

Tora tried to think about those words. Did that mean she didn’t expect their rel—whatever they had going on to go beyond just sleeping with each other? He had no hope. That's what it felt like. She wasn’t expecting anything else. Fuck. He hadn’t realized she could be so … like everyone else. Like Erdene, he supposed, since that one was sleeping with Quincey and all that there seemed to be between them both was sex.

“I guess I should’ve paid attention to what she was saying about getting in trouble.” Candy sighed and gave him a sad look. “I am so sorry. Please, can we pretend this never happened? I’m so embarrassed! I was honestly just thinking about a coffee or something. Don’t turn me in to the DON.”

Tora shook his head. “I won’t. I'm not a snitch. I... appreciate what you told me. I’m sorry that I don’t... feel the same way.”

Candy glanced at the door nervously.

“Uh...”

“Do you need to go?”

“Yes, sir. Break’s almost over, and I have to go cover Poppy for her lunch.”

“Yes. That’s fine.” He managed to give her a small smile. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you, doctor.” Candy said one last time and left quickly.

Tora sighed heavily as he ran his hands through his hair and down his face tiredly. This year was just confusing. He had honestly thought this would turn out different. All the years he’d spent keeping to himself had screwed him over, and just when he thought he could trust someone, she decides to sic another woman on him? Ugh.

Wait, Candy had said that she would be covering for Poppy, meaning Poppy would be free soon. Tora threw off his white jacket because it was starting to feel constricting and rushed out. He stopped by the nurses’ station and asked Erdene if she knew where Poppy had gone to.

She shrugged. “She said lunch. But I'm not sure where.” Candy had paled when she’d seen Tora rushing down the hall towards them. She was standing in front of the station, reviewing something on her C.O.W. and Erdene noticed the way she was nervously biting her lip and giving Tora worried looks. “Did you need something from a patient, doctor?”

“I... No. I need to speak with her about something,” he explained with a frown. “Anyways, thanks. I’ll go find her.” And with that, he turned and left them staring after him. Erdene finally looked at the other nurse.

“Why do I have the feeling that you’ve done something that’s going to get someone in trouble?” she asked Candy who lost even more color and looked on the verge of tears.

“I’m sorry! I did do something stupid! Please, don’t tell anyone!” she whispered before she leaned over the counter, closer to Erdene. “I-I kind of told Dr. Nishioka that... I would like to get to know him. Tried to invite him out for, I don’t know coffee. Then it all got weird, because he said that he’s seeing someone. I know, I know. I'm so stupid!” Candy groaned and covered her face with her hands.

“What now?”

“I asked him to please pretend that never happened!” Candy moaned. “I’m so embarrassed! He was nice about it, but obviously, he turned me down and said nothing else.”

“Okay. Then, don’t worry about it,” Erdene said with a frown. _This girl... For real._

_I just hope something bad doesn’t happen between Poppy and the doctor..._

_._

**Poppy** had just stepped into the cafeteria, when she heard her name being called.

She turned and found the same male nurse from ER waving at her.

“Oh, hey Claude,” Poppy said with a smile. She went over to his table where he was eating his lunch and smiled at him.

“Are you barely going to lunch?” he asked her with a smile and she nodded.

“Yeah. I have an hour today. So, I was thinking lunch and a nap in my car. I’m tired,” she explained and glanced over at the soup on his tray. “What’s the lunch today?”

“Mexican bar. They’ve got some good soup as well.”

“It does smell good.”

“Why don’t you come and sit with me?” he said and motioned to the empty seat in front of him. “I’m free for another twenty minutes.”

“Hmm. Yeah, alright.”

Poppy made line and bought her food, scanning her badge at the register. The way the hospital was set up, all they needed to do was scan their badges and they got discounted meals charged to their files and came off their paychecks.

With her tray in hand she headed over to sit with Claude.

“So, you say that you work fourth floor, right?” he asked as they chatted.

“Yeah. For some reason, it’s as if that floor is somehow cursed. All the crazy stuff happens there,” she mused and he nodded in agreement.

“No, kidding. The amount of codes called from the floor is ridiculous.”

“Tell me about it,” Poppy snorted. “I’ve dealt with a couple of them directly.”

“I’m sure you’re a great nurse though, and with the amount of codes being called, you’re also probably a pro at it,” he chuckled as she scowled.

“Almost.”

Since she’d only gotten some soup and a taco, Poppy finished that at the same time that Claude said it was time for him to head back. They cleared their table and Poppy followed him out saying she was going out for a nap.

She didn’t see Tora coming out of the elevator a few yards behind them and stopping in his tracks as he saw them walking off and stopping by the other hall that led to the ER department.

“It was nice having lunch with you,” Claude told her with a smile. “We should do this tomorrow.”

“Sorry, I’m off tomorrow,” she said. “Well, I'm going.”

“Listen,” he started nervously and ran a hand through his head. “I was wondering...” Poppy looked at him and momentarily panicked when she realized that he was going to ask her... “Maybe you’d like to hang out sometime? Outside of work.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t know. We could go for lunch sometime. Or dinner. A movie maybe?”

Poppy touched her cheek nervously, blushing pink. It’s wasn’t that Claude was ugly, oh no. He was good-looking in his own way, and strangely enough, resembled Tora in a way. For example, in his height, his hair, even skin tone. But he was no Tora. Nobody came close to resembling Tora, or ever would.

“I...”

He saw her hesitation. “Uh, it’s okay. You don’t have to. You probably have a boyfriend already.” She shook her head.

“I’m just... not in... Not looking for one right now,” she said as she scratched her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to... to-to make it seem that way.”

Claude shook his head. “No, no. It’s fine. I’m sorry. Well, maybe some other time. Some day. It’s nice to be able to chat with you during lunch either way. So, see you next time for lunch?”

Poppy gave him a small smile. “Oh. Alright, see you next lunch break.”

“Cool.” Claude gave her a last grin and walked off in direction of the ER.

Poppy shrugged to herself and took the elevator to go down to the basement for her car. She never noticed Tora watching her with a suspicious and hurt look on his face from his spot down the hallway.

.

Poppy slid into her car, deciding to take the back seat so she could nap on it sideways. She set her alarm clock for another twenty-minutes and was just closing her eyes when she heard a knock on her window. She snapped her eyes open and found none other than Tora standing there.

Sitting up, she unlocked the door and let him in.

“Hello. What are you doing out here?”

He had a serious look on his face, a little annoyed, and something else she couldn’t describe. He sat on the seat with his back to the door and looked at her across the seat.

“Tora?” she asked nervously because she wasn’t sure at all if he was fine. This was unlikely to how he acted around her, with her—but not unlikely to how he’d acted with her months back before they started anything between them...

“What’s going on with you?” he asked, and she frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that there is something going on with you because you keep ignoring me. Since you won’t answer my calls, or want to hang out, I’m coming to you,” he explained with a scowl. “I don’t understand if I've made you angry or upset you in any way.” _Or if it’s because you’ve got something going on with that guy now.._. He tossed that thought away.

Poppy continued to frown, looking away from him because she didn’t want to see that look of confusion on his face.

“I’m not mad at you,” she said softly.

“Then how come you’ve been avoiding me?”

“I haven—”

“Poppy,” Tora said in an exasperated tone that had her looking back to him. “We both know that you’ve been doing so. I just want to know why. Are you upset with me? Have I been too clingy, or needy, or are you...” _Seeing that guy?_ “Are you t-tired of me?”

She paled, wringing her hands nervously in her lap as he continued to study her.

“I’m not tired of you,” she started, “I have been thinking...”

_Oh god, she’s really with that guy and leaving me..._

_“_ Are we done?” he asked, his voice shaky and raspy, panicked. It was her turn to study him since it was something she hadn’t heard from him before.

“Done?”

“With what we have going on?”

“What _do_ we have going?” she whispered as she hugged herself. “As far as I am aware, we’ve been sleeping with each other, and sometimes we hang out, or have dinner together.”

“Well, I don’t make it a thing to wake up next to pretty brunettes in my bed,” he scoffed. “If you haven’t noticed, I don’t go around sleeping with other people here.”

The nerves, the doubt, the panic—they all came crashing down around her. What were they? Were they truly a couple? A thing? Would he get tired of her, of her body, and just toss her aside when he was done with her? She bit her lip nervously and fought to calm her racing heart. Candy was already eyeing him, she wondered if she’d tried anything yet...

He could have anyone he wanted in the world.

Maybe it was because she was easy access to him?

“Is that it?” Before she could stop him, he had slid to the middle seat and pulled her over to his lap. She gasped at her current position, with her sitting sideways on him, her legs stretched out. She looked up at him nervously and saw the tick on his jaw that meant he was probably annoyed and a little angry.

“Tora?”

“I don’t know why you’ve been so distant. I already told you I've missed you. I don’t go around sleeping with other women, nor do I randomly hook up with my nurses. Before you say anything else, just know that you mean something else to me. You and I, we’re both similar. We’re not that great in social settings and we’re not too extremely great in relationships,” he pointed out as he held her waist, slipping his other hand to her head as he tilted her head towards him. “But that doesn’t mean that we’re not compatible together.”

“I never said that we were not compatible. I’ve just been really busy.”

 _With another guy_ , thought Tora and wanted to growl. He was going to find out who that idiot was and beat him to a tiny pulp.

“So much that we couldn’t have lunch together?” he asked because he’d asked her that morning and she said that she was having lunch with someone else.

“I’ve been napping here. I’ve got a headache,” she started and Tora just raised his eyebrows at her in disbelief because she had plain out lied to him. He knew where she’d been during lunch and with whom, and what she had not been doing until about five minutes ago—hanging around that other guy. She saw the way his eyes darkened. “Err...”

“Oh, yeah? Well, I was worried about you. So, I've looked for you everywhere and just found you here.” He moved her around so she ended up sitting on his lap now with her back to his chest. He held her by the waist as she tried to understand what was going on. He held her tightly to him and kissed her on her neck, breathing softly against her ear and felt her shiver, goosebumps rising over her arms.

“Tora?”

“I’ve missed you,” he said and she gasped when his fingers started inching upwards on her stomach. She knew this was a bad idea, but no matter what her brain told her, her body had other opinions, and she was disgusted with herself when she felt her body responding to his ministrations.

**His** hands slid upwards over her stomach until they reached her breast. She moaned softly when they closed over them, softly caressing her over the top of her bra. She was still holding on to his arms, unsure of whether they should be doing this in the back of her car and in the middle of the hospital’s parking lot.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t the ‘middle’ of the parking lot... She had managed to park off to the side, by a wall, and the front faced the wall as well. But still...

“Tora?” she asked shakily and tried to turn her head to look at him. He caught her mouth in a kiss and snuck a hand under her bra and over her warm breast, palming her nipple making it stiffen immediately.

“Missed you,” he murmured against her lips, tasting the moan that escaped her. His brain told him that this was a mistake, that he was upset and that he shouldn’t do this. They were supposed to be talking, not to be doing this in a place where they could be caught. It wasn’t like they hadn’t done it in a car before, but that was somewhere far away from the hospital where the majority of the company was drunk off their assess... and probably too busy doing the same thing someplace else.

“Mmm.” She tried to keep herself quiet. This was dangerous. If anyone happened to come their way, there would definitely be problems for both of them. She twisted around enough to continue kissing him, trying to keep herself from moaning as one of his hand stayed around her breast playing with her nipple, while the other hand trekked downwards.

She gasped when his hand slid under the waist band of her scrub pants and found their way into her underwear. Her eyes snapped open. “Wha—”

His fingers found her little clit immediately, running a quick circle around it before dipping downwards. His lips continued moving on hers, his hands moving over her body, and soon she found herself very turned on and moving over him. She felt his erection pressing against her back, the scrub pants provided no real layer to hide anything and there was no hiding him when he got excited. She wanted to stop, she wanted to tell him no, because this was wrong. What happened to everything she had told herself that she wouldn’t do anymore? That they couldn’t do this anymore? Where was her self-control?

This wasn’t right. He was upset with her, she knew it, and a part of her knew that he was trying to prove a point. Even if she tried to stay away, her body would always react to his.

She cried out against her hand and felt her body trembling on his. That had taken her by surprise and heart racing, she tried to catch her breath and move away from him.

Except that she found herself momentarily lifted and lurched forward over the middle console, and before she could say anything else, he’d pulled her pants and panties down around her knees and pulled her backwards to sit on his lap again.

She cried out again when she felt him inside her. She was caught up right away, her mind still dazed from her previous orgasm, and she couldn’t pull away, couldn’t say no as she felt him moved from under her, into her.

He was moving hard and deep. This was different from the last time they had been together, there was nothing else but lust here, desperation. Where was the tenderness? Her brain said no, but her body reacted nonetheless, making her clench around him, making her moan and groan again and again with each thrust he gave against her.

“Oh god, oh god, oh god,” she gasped with each push he gave. She held on to the seats in front of her to prevent herself from being lurched forward and to push back. She knew she wouldn’t though, because his big hands held on to her waist as he pounded into her from behind.

She felt one of his hands dip down to her front again and press against her clit, pressing hard, rubbing hard until she could feel her walls clench around him harder, felt her legs begin to tremble. “Wait, wait...!” He ignored her, kept on pressing, and rubbing, and teasing until all she could feel was the heat rising down her body, her heart racing.

He started slamming into her from behind, pulling her hips to his own so they’d meet in the middle. Pushed and pushed, rubbed and teased until she came hard, her body shaking on top of his, her ears ringing.

With a deep growl, followed by a groan, he came right after she did, holding he waist tightly against his own and his body shivered and trembled as well.

And through the whole thing he never said a word.

Poppy couldn’t help but feel sudden coldness fill the car.

.

 **“I-I've** gotta get cleaned up,” Poppy said calmly to Tora who still hadn’t said a word to her. Mind racing like her erratic heart, Poppy tried to calm herself even though all she wanted to do was disappear. This felt wrong. It felt really wrong.

Tora handed her some napkins from an old Starbuck’s paper bag she’d left in the back seat. He pulled himself out of her, grabbing a napkin as well, as they both minded their own business and set themselves right.

He eyed Poppy as she finished pulling her pants over her hips. Her hands were shaking as she knotted her scrub’s ties. Still flushed pink, there was a look of confusion over her face that had nothing to do with the orgasm she had just enjoyed.

“Poppy?”

“Why did you do it?”

“What?” That wasn’t what he had expected to come out from her mouth. “I don’t –”

He shut his trap when she finally looked up at him and he saw the angry, teary look on her face. This was wrong. This was really wrong and he was terrified of what was happening.

“You know we can’t do this,” she said as she wiped at her tears angrily. “We’re going to get caught and you’re going to get me in trouble.”

“What!? You do understand that I would get in trouble as well, right?” He frowned, starting to feel just as angry as she looked. “What do you mean? You wanted this just as much as I did. You could’ve told me to stop.”

She laughed shakily. “It’s pretty hard to stop once you get your hands on me. And you’re mad at me. You did this because you’re mad at me!” she pointed out at him. “Did you do this to make a point?”

“What point would I be making?” he scowled.

“That you can turn my brain into a puddle and get into my pants easily.”

“Now wait a minute, Poppy, you know that’s a fucking lie. You were much of a participant as I was. Don’t try to blame this on me only.” He ran a shaky hand through his hair. “What’s going on between us, Poppy? What’s happening? You’ve been so distant and I don’t know how to fix it.”

“We didn’t have to have sex just right now for you to prove anything.” Poppy pulled her knees to her chest, looking at him over them. “I don’t think I can do this anymore...”

He gave her a shocked look that immediately turn into a poker face. “Why? Because you’re seeing someone else now?”

“What?” she frowned at him. “What the hell?”

“Is it because of that other guy?” he sneered and hated the way his heart hurt.

“What guy? There is no other guy.”

“That guy who you chose to have lunch with over me,” Tora snapped finally, seeing the confused look on her face turn into realization that he’d known where she’d been. “Yeah, I saw you walking out of the cafeteria with him. You two seemed pretty chummy, if you ask me.”

“I just happened to find him in the cafeteria when I got there,” she snapped.

“He asked you out,” Tora snapped back. “And you said that you weren’t looking for a relationship. So, what the hell has been going on with us for the last couple months?”

“I told him that so he wouldn’t ask me again. I had to let him down some way.” She squinted at Tora. “And you were there and you didn’t say anything? What the hell? Did you just push sex right now because you’re jealous? Did you think I had something going on him and that’s the only reason you pushed for sex right now!? Were you really just trying to make a point?!” Poppy hissed the last part and glared at him. “I can’t believe you.”

“You could’ve told him that you were seeing someone else already!” Tora said exasperatedly. “And yes! I was jealous! But that wasn’t the reason why _we_ just had sex right now.”

“What was I supposed to say? ‘Sorry, I can’t. I’m already sleeping with one of the doctors’?” Poppy snapped. “Because that wouldn’t have gone down too great.”

“Now you’re just being sarcastic,” Tora groused. He cursed and after sighing heavily, he turned back to her. “Look, I’ve just been really confused lately. I don’t know what’s going on with you, with your running hot and cold with me lately. I thought we were doing good. What happened to that, Poppy?”

She stared at him, felt a tear slide down her face.

“I don’t think we should do this anymore, Tora.”

“What?” _There goes that heart clenching again. Ugh._

“You know this wouldn’t have lasted in the long run. We’re too different to be endgame, Tora. You’ve got your life and I've got mine, and we’re worlds apart to be together.”

Poppy could feel her heart pounding and she wondered briefly if it would bounce out of her chest. She wanted to start bawling. She was going to start bawling her eyes out if he didn’t leave and if he kept asking her more questions. The way his golden eyes were looking at her was making her chest hurt even more.

“That is literally the stupidest thing I have ever heard.” Tora said with a shake of his head. “This is the 21st century, sweetheart, in case you haven’t noticed. People are free to like and be with whomever they want to be. If you simply didn’t want to be with me anymore, you could’ve just said so, you didn’t have to give some bull-crap reason of being too different.”

Tora scoffed and started sliding closer to the door.

“I can’t believe that you’d think me so shallow that you’d expect me to dump you over some stupid social norm idea. Well, if it makes you feel better, I was once just a simple boy making bad choices that nearly landed me in jail until I decided to better myself. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon upon my tongue as you probably imagine I was. I don’t know how or why you have this idea that I could be better than you, or that we’re too different.”

Poppy could barely see him through her haze of tears.

“But you know what? I’ll let you ponder on that for a while on your own. I don't think I have ever done anything, or given you any reason, to make you believe that I was some stuffy asshole who looked down on others... It hurts, you know, to find out you think that way. I thought you were different, but I suppose you’re not. Perhaps you’re right, we might be too different in that aspect.” Tora opened the door and got out. He was about to shut the door when he stopped and stuck his head in again.

“And do you want to know what is ironic about this whole idea of yours?”

Poppy simply stared at him.

“I was the one thinking that you were too good for me,” Tora confessed with a short laugh and a sad head shake. “Next time, you want to talk, you’re going to have to be the one who comes looking for me. I’m done chasing after someone who doesn’t want me, and thinks horribly of me. I really thought we had something going on, but I guess I had just misinterpreted everything. You have my number and know where to find me.”

With that, he shut the door and Poppy saw him walk away through the tinted glass.

She finally let the dams break and started crying her heart out.

She couldn’t help but feel that she’d something terribly wrong...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emotional turmoil everywhere. I feel like Oprah "YOU GET FEELS, AND YOU GET FEELS, AND WE ALL GET FEELS!"
> 
> HI, y'all, here's a slightly longer piece for this 'one-shot' (*ONE-SHOT LOL)  
> It's been a long week, guys are stupid. Life is hectic, and I need a vacation.
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy.  
> Leave your comments below.
> 
> Much love! <3


	6. Rhythm of the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO LILLYDUSK FOR HER WEBCOMIC "Midnight Poppy Land" ON WEBTOONS. FOLLOW HER PATREON FOR MORE GOODIES. :)  
> ..............  
> It's time for Tora and Poppy to stop moping around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hanging On- Active Child  
> SELFISH- Madison Beer  
> It’s Your Eyes I See- Hanne Leland  
> Dancing with Your Ghost- Sasha Sloan  
> July- Noah Cyrus
> 
> JUMP AROUND- House of Pain (cuz what the hell lol)

**...**

**Poppy** felt like complete poop after her conversation with Tora.

Not only did she feel stupid for hurting his feelings—because that was pretty much what his reaction said—but she also felt stupid for letting him have his way with her.

Okay, maybe that part wasn’t entirely all his fault. The man couldn’t help being so gorgeous that she couldn’t keep her hands to herself, her senses in check, or her pants on.

She had managed to give herself puffy eyes from all the crying she’d done after he’d left her in the car and now, she wondered if Erdene would give her hell about it. What was she going to tell anyone if they asked if she was okay?

_Sorry, my sorta-boyfriend-slash-fuck-buddy just fucked me in the car and dumped me?_

It sounded so bad. Considering it really had been her fault. Would it still be considered ‘dumping’ if they hadn’t even given their err, relationship, a name?

With a sigh, Poppy dropped her things off in her locker, gave herself disgusted look in the mirror, and made her way back to the station.

As luck would have it—bad luck that is—the very first person that she ran into was none other than Candy. The girl was doing her med pass and when she saw Poppy coming up the hallway, she got a panicked look on her face. She waved Poppy over and leaned closer to her to whisper.

“Poppy, I've done something stupid!”

“Did you give someone a wrong medication?” Poppy asked, immediately concerned for the imaginary patient’s well-being. Candy shook her head and glanced around before whispering again.

“I... it’s about the d-doctor and –”

“There you are!”

They turned and saw Erdene coming out of one of the other rooms. She made her way over to the two women.

“You’ve been crying,” Erdene stated as she took in Poppy’s appearance. She took in the hair and … there was something more she couldn’t pinpoint, but after studying her appearance through squinted eyes, she gasped, “You just got laid!” she hissed making Candy’s eyes widen in surprise as she snapped them over to Poppy. Poppy scowled, blushing bright red as she glared at her friend.

“ERDENE! Why would you say that!?” Poppy hissed as she clenched her friend’s arm. “Oh my god, you’re going to get me in trouble!”

“Yeah, Erdene, let’s not start rumors. This is a professional work environment.”

“Ah!” All three women jumped, startled, as they turned to face Tora coming closer to them. He looked... like he was in a mood, and not a good one.

“You should probably be careful about the comments you make, Erdene. Someone might assume that our employees are into _sleeping around_ and being in clandestine _relationships_ with their coworkers.” Tora continued as he studied the three women, Poppy in the middle who looked like she was going to faint at any moment. His heart clench as he took in her appearance, ruffled and scared, her puffy eyes. She was hurting, he could tell, but so was he. She deserved some of the hurt that he was feeling himself.

“Uh, yes, sorry, Sir,” Erdene mumbled with a slow nod. She told Poppy she’d talk to her later and went back to her C.O.W..

Candy and Poppy glanced back nervously at Tora who was still looking at them as if he was trying to figure them out.

“Are you okay, Miss Poppy?” He asked her, watching her eyes widen before she looked away.

The meaning behind his question was more than just a simple question and Poppy knew it well. Obviously, Candy wouldn’t understand what he was referring to.

_Did I hurt you earlier while we...? Did I break your heart, like you broke mine?_

“Yes, doctor Nishioka. I’m fine. Just had to take a call during lunch and got some... bad news.”

“Okay. Well, when you have time, please get another round of vitals on the patient in 405A.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alright. Thank you.” With that, Tora turned around and started walking away, leaving the two girls huddled together. Candy eyed Poppy nervously for any other sign of emotional distress. She had meant to tell her about what she’d ended up asking Tora but decided against it.

“What were you trying to tell me?” Poppy asked Candy after she’d finally managed to calm her racing heart.

“Uh… I was… Oh, it’s nothing important,” Candy said, laughing nervously. “I think I was over-reacting. But worry not! No patient has been harmed! I, uh, I’m going to go finish my pass… Also, hey, did Dr. Nishioka come find you earlier?”

Poppy frowned, “No. Why?”

“He was looking for you.”

“Oh. No.”

“Oh. Then maybe he’ll remember later. Um, I’m going to go now,” Candy said as she gave Poppy’s hand a squeeze. “Chin up, girl. Whatever is bothering you shall, too, pass.”

“Yeah. Thanks,” Poppy said as she tried to smile. “I suppose…”

Poppy stared after Candy, wondering when she herself started losing all her innocence. Her happiness and just general youthfulness. She was barely twenty-six but some days she felt older, like right now.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep, working full-time and doubles. All the worries, the stress, and emotional drama she had been dealing with lately added to her overall feeling of being just… worn down. And Tora… made her feel alive, confused, loved, and broken all at the same time.

She sighed and went down to the nursing station.

….

“ **Well** , well, well, look who the cat dragged in.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

Tora went into Quincey’s office, shutting the door behind him. He took the seat in front of his desk and sighed heavily. Quincey, who was aware of the sort of relationship Tora was having with his nurse eyed him curiously.

“What’s with the long face?”

“Just tired.”

“Nothing a little s—”

“Don’t even say it.” Quincey shut his trap and leaned back against his chair to stare at his friend. He had a look of defeat on his face and did in fact look tired, but that wasn’t what really caught his attention. Tora wasn’t the most vocal about his feelings, nor was he the one to get easily annoyed at people, but right now, he looked like he needed either a friend or to punch someone in the face.

“Hey, man, are you alright?” Quincey asked as Tora muttered something under his breath. “Something the matter between you and little Miss Muffet?” Quincey thought that Poppy was cute—short, cute, and curvy—and he told Tora she reminded him of those Cabbage Patch dolls from back in the day. “Tora?”

Tora didn’t look up at his friend, just continued to stare at the floor. Quincey didn’t ask him again, simply waited for his friend to respond. He knew it was difficult for him to talk about his private life, feelings, he’d always been more of a private man.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke. “I think she likes someone else.”

“What do you mean? I thought you guys were doing well.”

“Yeah, I thought so, too,” Tora confessed as he ran a heavy hand over his face. “But I guess I wasn’t interesting enough or...There’s some nurse from ER trying to hit on her. Hitting on her, I saw them during their lunch today. He asked her out.”

“But she’s your girlfriend,” Quincey started with a look at him. When Tora didn’t answer, he furrowed his brows in confusion. “Aren’t you guys like in a relationship, pretty ongoing, if I might say so.”

Tora dropped his head to his hands on his knees. “Not exactly.”

“What does that even mean?”

“What are you and Erdene calling it?” Tora asked him because he didn’t think he’d ever heard Quincey call it a relationship. From their perspective, it was more of hooking up, just sex. Tora had tried to make it just that, but his conscience would not allow him to use Poppy that way. She was too good, too nice, too... almost _innocent_ to use simply for sex. Besides, it wasn’t as if Tora didn’t enjoy the time they spent together simply hanging out.

“Uh, hooking up? I don’t know. We haven’t really called it anything, or commented about it,” Quincey explained with a scratch of his head. “We sort of... just text each other and find ourselves in the same place for the same reason. Booty calls? I thought you two were serious about each other.”

“We—I thought we were. But she says that it’s not working out. I didn’t see this coming.” Tora wanted to... do something, not quite sure yet. He hadn’t cried since he was a small boy, and he’d trained himself to never show his emotions. “We said we’d keep it down low to avoid any problems here, anybody from finding out, but she’s been distant and now I found her with that other nurse. Does it even matter if anybody finds out? I wouldn’t mind...”

Quincey tapped his foot nervously as he listened to him. He felt for the man, he really did, especially since trusted him enough to reveal his emotions. There was, however, one small problem with his train of thought that he would have to comment on.

“You know that I'm not opposed to you and Poppy being an item,” Quincey started, “But there is one small thing that I will have to agree with her.” Tora raised his eyes to the blond man. “My father wouldn’t be too happy to hear about you and some other coworker. You know the rules and regulations in place for personal relationships. Poppy is right with you two possibly getting into trouble if you’re found out.”

Sitting up straight, Tora sighed, his eyes still downcast. “I really like her, Quince. She’s different. She’s —”

“A little young, no? What is she, like twenty-one?”

“She’s twenty-six,” Tora said with a bored look. “Even I know when I'm robbing the cradle. Besides, she’s about the same age as Erdene and you’re my age.”

“I’m younger than you, and Erdene is definitely older than Poppy by about two years or so. But going back to what I was saying before, yeah, it would be an issue if my dad found out about this...” Quincey trailed off, looking away as he fiddled with his phone. “He is upset with me right now.”

“Why?”

“Because he found out that I was sleeping with Erdene,” Quincey stated. _It had been bad for something so simple as trying to get along with another human being who understood you and liked you._

Quincey had been called to his father’s office on the first floor. The last time he’d been there was when he was a brand-new doctor hired on and his father called him to remind him that their relationship was to remain professional. There were no such things as favorites, no family ties, no love between them. This time, he’d been called again to that same cold office downstairs and he’d been quite surprised at hearing the words coming out of his father’s mouth...

_“ **You’ll** never learn to keep it in your pants, will you?”_

_Quincey who had just taken the empty seat in front of the mahogany desk jerked back in surprise. He eyed his tall, golden-haired father as he stood up went to stand by the tall window._

_“Excuse me, sir?”_

_“You need to stop sleeping around with the nurses,” Vincent Balthuman said as he shot his equally golden-haired son a look. “Are you willing to risk your job for a hot piece of ass? I thought even you had better taste than that.” The older man threw a file onto the desk in front of his son. It had a picture clipped to the front and when Quincey leaned over to look at it, he realized that it was none other than Erdene, only as a brunette, staring back at him with a smile._

_It was her personal HR folder._

_And his father had found out about her and was talking as if she was nothing more than just some sort of..._

_“Any woman willing to sleep with her superiors must be just as easy with others as well,” Vincent started as he continued to stare out the window. He missed the angry look that came over Quincey’s face at hearing those words. “If she is shameless enough to do it with you, what makes you think that she hasn’t done it with anyone else in this building?”_

_“That’s a pretty sexist thing to say, I’m surprised,” Quincey gritted out. “I’m surprised that’s coming from the mouth of someone so admired for being a_ gentleman _. Is that how you talk to my mother as well?”_

_“We’re not talking about you mother, here. We’re talking about this nurse.”_

_“It’s crazy how much is hidden beneath a fancy façade,” Quincey started slowly as he took the small snapshot of Erdene from the portfolio. “For your information, I'm not going around sleeping with everyone that crosses my path, much less employees from this hospital.”_

_“So, you’re going to tell me that you haven’t had anything to do with this woman?”_

_“No. I’m not going to lie or hide. I have been sleeping with her and have been holding a relationship with her. Not too long, but yes. She’s a very nice girl, smart and educated. Hardworking,” Quincey said and his father turned to look back at him. The older man shook his head._

_“It’s against the hospital protocol,” Vince stated with a squint of his eyes._

_“Yes and no,” Quincey started at which Vince frowned in confusion. “But tell me, are you upset with me because it’s the protocol or because it’s her, she’s a nurse, and she doesn’t come from a line of money?”_

_“Don’t try to lay this on me.”_

_“Am I? I didn’t realize. Sir, nothing here between her and I is against the protocol. Technically. We’re not even more the same unit, specialty, or even same floor for that matter. We’re just two people who happened to meet at a dinner event and so happened to realize that we work in the same hospital. If I remember well, it’s not allowed for two coworkers, be it a provider or a nurse to engage in a personal relationship if it’s something that’s going to affect the work flow and/or care for the patient; if the couple is from the same unit, if they work with each other, or work the same floor... Which none of those things are something that’s true for the two of us.”_

_Vincent turned to fully look at his son._

_“You shouldn’t be dating her. How do you know that she’s not only with you for your money? You’re a specialty provider, you’re a doctor, and you’re the Hospital CEO’s son, all those things seem like a good incentive for someone like her to seek you out.”_

_“Well, I'd like to think that I'm a personable person. I’m a good doctor and I'm good to my staff, to the nurses. She’s never asked me about you, or my money, or whatever. Just throwing it out there, but your name, your title, has never come up when we’re together. You don’t even cross our minds. So what if she finds out what I'm your son? I’ve never heard a peep of interest regarding that from her.” Quincey got to his feet, his hands going to his white coat’s jackets as he looked back to his father across the desk. Their relationship had never been the best it could be, but right now, it felt like the distance between them was even greater._

_“You’re going to get her fired.”_

_“No, because I'm not going around talking about sleeping with her. If someone finds out or if she suddenly gets in trouble, I'm coming back and blaming it on you. Well, it was good catching up with you, Sir. Good times, good times, but I gotta run. My cardiology patients aren’t going to consult themselves.” Quincey started walking to the door as he waved at his father goodbye. Just before shutting the door, he poked his head back out. “Oh, and hey. Just because you were a dick to my mother and she felt the need to seek love somewhere else... that doesn’t mean that all women are the same. Ta-ta, good sir.”_

_And he shut the door behind him leaving Vincent glaring at the closed door._

_It wasn’t until he was putting the portfolio back into his desk that he realized that the girl’s picture wasn’t on it anymore._

_Meaning Quincey had taken it with him._

_Vincent sighed heavily, taking a seat again and starting at the ceiling intently..._

“And so, now we have to keep it on the low as well,” Quincey told Tora who gave him a disbelieving look. “There are ears, eyes and more than one loose mouth in this place. I’d say that Poppy is smart. She’s a good nurse, from what Erdene has told me, so it would suck if Vincent found out and got her in trouble. You know how my father feels about you.”

“Well, I do owe him one...”

“I’d say you’ve done more than enough, but there is no need to remind him of that. That man’s ego is bigger than his head, no need to inflate it any more than it already is. Now, about Poppy, what are you going to do?”

Tora sighed and sat up straight. He knew that he liked the girl—Heck! Probably more than that. He just wasn’t familiar with being in a relationship with someone for more than necessary and he knew that he wanted more from her, but just didn’t know exactly what. Truth be told, he was a little frazzled at the type of feelings she evoked in him.

“I know this must be hard for you,” Quincey pointed out and gave a short laugh at the pointed look he got from the other man. “Okay, this is hell for you. I mean, you did come all the way over to Cardiology to talk to me, so it must be big. But what is it that you want to do? What do _you_ want?”

“Things to go back to what they were before,” Tora answered immediately. “I’m still not quite sure what happened. She just keeps saying that we’re not right for each other, or at least that’s my understanding. I know we work just fine, we fit fine—or at least she fits fine into my life—but she doesn’t see it that way. I feel like...she thinks I'm some giant snob who thinks he’s better than everyone else, and I tried to tell her that it’s not like that, but she didn’t listen.”

Quincey nodded as Tora poured his heart out. This really was an accomplishment. The man was a stone grave, sealed forever, full of secrets.

“Fear not, my beautiful broken love fool,” Quincey started and Tora raised an eyebrow at him. “It’s a good thing I deal with hearts, so I'm no stranger to the ins and outs of it. We just have to figure out a way to make her see that you are not. You already said that things were going just fine until recently.”

“Well, Queen of Hearts, what is my verdict?” Tora leaned back against the chair, crossing a leg over the other. “You know my past relationships haven’t been the most normal ones, per say. I thought I had... something else going for us here.”

“Well, when was the last time you hung out with her?”

“Uh, about two hours ago,” Tora said as he thought back to the heated argument that followed one good bout of sex. He wanted to groan because he didn’t think he’d be able to find anyone like Poppy anywhere and now he was afraid he’d lost her.

“Rounds?”

“Car,” Tora started slowly, raising his eyes to Quincey whose eyebrows were slowly rising in question. “Back seat of her car.”

“Well, well, well. And?”

“I... we ended up having sex and then pretty much screaming at each other afterwards. I slammed the door on my way out after we were done. And I feel like utter crap.” Tora ran his hands over his face anxiously. “I feel like shit, Quincey. Shit. I’m not like this—”

“Well, you have a reputation for being a difficult doctor so...”

“Not in that aspect. Yes, I know I’m a hard doctor to please, but that’s because I have the life of hundreds of patients on my hands. I’m talking about arguing.”

“Weren’t you always arguing with Poppy though? That’s what I heard from Erdene. That you were always so hard on her.”

“Yes. But Poppy is one of my nurses, she’s the one working with me the most. She’s a great nurse and knows what I like—Stop giving me that look, you perv! – I meant work-wise.” Tora glared at the blond who had smirked and wiggled his brows at him. “She just gets me. I don’t have to repeat myself with her, she is always ready for me—Ugh, forget it!”

Tora threw his hands in the air when Quincey wiggled his brows at him at the ‘always ready for me’. Quincey sighed as he raised his own hands up in defense.

“Fine, fine. I’m sorry. I apologize. Okay, I get what you’re saying, I'm sorry. Tora, here’s something I want to point out though... You just had sex with your nurse, with Poppy, in the back seat of a car, in the parking lot of the place where you work... And then got into an argument with her and left her there... What do you think is going through her head right now?” Tora flinched inwardly at what he said. He hadn’t thought about it... Well, he had. He had hoped for a moment that she could hurt as bad as he was hurting.

“That we’re over?”

“That you only wanted her for sex, Tora. You left her in the car afterwards. Don’t you care enough to know how she’s feeling?” Quincey asked and waited for Tora’s response.

“But she was all upset at me going on about jealousy and pushing sex and whatnot.”

“Were you jealous?”

“What?”

“Was she right and you were jealous over her?” Quincey liked the look that came over Tora, pure panic.

“I...” Truth? He wanted to punch that nurse guy in the face. How dare he try to ask _his_ Poppy out on a date? Poppy, Poppy who had been _his_ for a while now. Poppy who had worked with him a little over a year now. Poppy whom he was... possibly falling... _in love with_? Truth? He was jealous as hell watching her walking out of the cafeteria with that other man.

He hated feeling this way. So helpless, so full of anxiety and anger. He wanted to hurt someone, something he hadn’t done since he was a teenager, getting on the wrong side of the law. He felt so out of control, so desperate. He hated it. She brought all of this out on him, and she couldn’t see it?

“She kept saying that we were too different, worlds apart. Quincey, what the fuck does that even mean? I thought I had problems with my self-esteem, but her words just make me think that she’s gotten them worse than I do! She didn’t seem to have a problem in the beginning, or a couple weeks back, about me being a doctor. Then suddenly, she’s freaking out about it. I don’t care if she’s a nurse. I like her for her. I don’t understand. I know I can come across as a jerk sometimes, but damn, I didn’t think I came across as shallow!” Quincey watched his friend stand up and pace, hands running angrily through his hair. He swore and stared up at the ceiling.

Quincey couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his friend like this. He hoped that Poppy could come to her senses and realize how Tora felt about her before it was too late.

“Give her some time, Tora. I’m sure she feels the same about you and is just confused.”

Tora turned and gave him a sad look. “I thought so, too, but she made herself very clear. I don’t get it... She’s going to have to be the one coming to me because I'm done seeking her out. I made myself very available. I made time for her, I let her know me, I tried to be patient and I thought we were doing well. What did she do? She lied to me, Quincey. She had the courage to tell me in the face that she had been in her car napping when I'd seen her coming out of the damn cafeteria with the other man. Why did she have to lie if it was nothing? She kept saying that there is nothing between them, but why did she have to lie about meeting up with him if it wasn’t a big deal?” Quincey had no answer to that.

Finally, he spoke up again. “Then, we wait. You can always try to talk to her, but if it’s some time she needs, then give her space. You can’t force people’s emotions. You can’t force love,” Quincey explained thinking back to Erdene. She was a beautiful woman, but she seemed so out of reach some days. Now, with everything going on with his father, he didn’t know what would happen between them anymore. He hadn’t spent time with her in a while.

“And if she doesn’t come back?” Tora asked softly because he felt so afraid to say the words aloud. What if she wanted to keep away? What if she didn’t want him anymore?

“Then, you let her do what she needs to do,” Quincey said.

Tora stared back at his friend, heart pounding, because he knew that was true.

He couldn’t force her to feel the same for him, no matter how much he tried. They had started off in the worst possible way that he would have wanted their relationship to start off and ended in the same way. If they had to walk on eggshells around each other and keep secrets, then maybe they weren’t meant to work out.

Just like she had told him.

Part of him knew that what he’d told her before he slammed the door shut was true, though.

If she needed to reach him, to speak to him, to patch things up and try again, she had his number. She would need to make the first move.

He’d already tried.

..

**Two months.**

It had been two longs months since the incident in her car with Tora.

Poppy stood in front of her C.O.W. reviewing some orders before going into a room. She stopped for a moment when she heard Tora speaking in a room a couple doors down. Her stomach clench in dread, in panic, when she realized that he would be coming out of the room soon to find her standing there. She glanced around about to rush into a room and stand by the door to let Tora pass by and so she wouldn’t have to make conversation, but he was coming out soon and all the doors were shut at the moment.

She set herself up with a poker face as she stared intently at the computer screen instead. When Tora came out of the room that’s how he found her: staring at the computer looking busy.

He stopped in his tracks, the stethoscope that he had been about to throw around his neck hanging from his hand. He lowered it and walked over to her, the smile that had been on his face when he’d come out of the room gone.

“Poppy?”

“Hmm?” Poppy glanced up at him, trying to pretend that her heart wasn’t racing and that her stomach wasn’t clenching in nervousness. She willed her body to relax and prayed that her face didn’t give her away in a blush. “Yes, doctor?”

“Are you taking care of 410 today?”

“Yes. Are they needing something from me?”

“Not at the moment. I just wanted to give you a heads up that they’ll be getting a new order for Vitamin D and a shot for B12. I just reviewed their labs with them and they were very deficient. Also, I'm going to be starting them on some insulin,” Tora explained as he looked down at Poppy who wrote herself a reminder on a sticky note for later.

“Okay. No problem. I’ll look for the order.”

“Let’s start that next med pass since I think you’ve already finished with them, no?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, so next med pass. I’ll go ahead and start adding those orders for them,” Tora explained. Poppy nodded and looked down to her sticky notes. She fiddled with the mouse, not saying anything else. What was she supposed to say? They hadn’t spoken about what happened in the car two months ago. He hadn’t called her, he hadn’t texted her, hadn’t messaged her anything. He was keeping true to his promise that he was done.

The only times that they spoke was when they were doing rounds and he came down to consult with the patients. Everything was professional between them just liked she had asked.

Except she hated it. Every time he glanced her way, it made her heart hurt. Every time he smiled at someone else, it made her heart break.

Every night, she’d sit at home in her couch, her phone lying next to her as she anxiously waited for the ping of an incoming message. A message that never came.

She knew that she had hurt him. She knew that she had brought this upon herself, but... she didn’t realize how bad things had ended until a week, two weeks, a month went by and nothing...

But she scowled herself constantly, reminding herself that he had said she would have to come to him if she wanted to patch things up. He'd been upset, been hurt, she’d seen it in his eyes.

He wasn’t going to call her.

And it was her own damn fault

Tora stared at Poppy as she continued to fiddle the mouse.

She was looking nervous. Did he make her nervous? He scowled at that. Did his presence really bother her that much?

He didn’t say anything, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw him clenching the stethoscope in his hand.

He was probably still upset with her…

“Did you need anything else, Sir?” she asked as she dared a glance at him. He was staring at her intently and she almost winced at the scowl on his face.

“No. I… I’ll go put the orders in,” he repeated again, studying her face for a sign that she missed him, but found nothing.

He wanted to say something. He wanted to tell her that he missed her, that he was so lonely some days and being in his own presence drove him crazy. He’d been patiently waiting for her to call him back, but she hadn’t so far.

The first week he’d been angry, the second he’d been pissed off and hurt he’d thought about calling her and giving her a piece of his mind. When one month had gone by and she still hadn’t tried to contact him, he’d done something he hadn’t done in a very, very long time and gotten himself drunk. He’d smashed the **_WORLD’S #1 OKAYEST DOCTOR_** mug she had given him for Christmas as a joke, momentarily surprising himself. He’d stared at the broken mug on the floor and laughed himself to tears at the wild representation it showed of his own life.

The next morning when he’d finally woken up with a major splitting headache, his mouth tasting like sawdust and his stomach ready to spill, he’d made himself downstairs to the kitchen and found the broken mug still on the floor. He’d felt it then, the pain, the hurt… He had picked the pieces off the floor carefully and spent a good portion of the rest of the day trying to glue them back together.

Now, the Humpty Dumpty mug sat on a shelf in his living room, a constant reminder that she had still not called him or messaged him and that she probably wouldn’t be doing so soon.

And just so he wouldn’t do something stupid as getting on the phone and calling her up, he left that broken mug there, kept it visible, with its cracks and crooked glued back pieces to remind him exactly how his heart felt with her actions, and that it was time to put himself back up together again.

But the way that she looked at him, almost expecting him to say something, waiting, it made him angry.

He would not break.

He looked away, staring off to a picture on the wall.

“Anything else before I go?”

She shook her head, biting her lip nervously as she dropped her eyes to her computer again. She couldn’t look at him anymore. It hurt. It hurt. It hurt so, so bad.

“No, sir. I think I’m okay here,” she replied quietly, willing her heart to stop hurting before she started crying.

Tora saw the way her eyes were shining, almost as if she was going to start crying. If she did, it would be over for him, he knew it.

He had to be tough.

He clenched the stethoscope in his hand like a lifeline, even though what he really wanted to do was reach out and touch her hair, cup her face to raise it so she would look at him, to hold her hand.

“Poppy?”

She frowned but still didn’t look at him.

“Never mind.” He gave her one more look before turning on his heel and walking away.

Only then did Poppy let her eyes blur up with tears. She swallowed, trying to clear the knot in her throat. She stared after him, watching the back of his dark gray scrubs as he disappeared around the corner.

..

 **Poppy** was hanging with Erdene for the weekend, watching movies, doing face scrubs, manis, pedis—because Erdene has said it would be good for her to clear her head—when she realized something.

“Hey, what’s going on with Candy?” Poppy asked Erdene who was sitting next to her on the couch with cucumbers over her eyes. Poppy had some over her eyes as well and she tried to speak as loudly as she could without moving around too much.

“What do you mean?”

“It just hit me that I haven’t seen her around for... I don’t know, a couple days?”

“You mean weeks,” Erdene corrected her and Poppy scowled under her cucumber slice. “She hasn’t been around for two weeks now.”

“What? Where have I been around for all of this?” Poppy asked quite surprised because she honestly hadn’t realized the girl wasn’t working on the floor with them anymore. She bit her lower lip nervously as she thought back to two months ago when she’d try to tell Poppy something but ended up deciding against it. “Oh, god. Did she get fired?”

“Ha. No. That girl had to smart up really quick,” Erdene chuckled. “Didn’t you hear? She got moved down to the second floor for definite care. There was an open spot and she tried for it, liked it, and now she’s there.”

“Hmm. Well, that’s good for her, I suppose. And no, I hadn’t heard. I guess... I should pay more attention to what happens around me, but I’m not into people’s lives and knowing the gossip.”

Poppy had never been interested in the gossip that went around the hospital. She knew that people were up to no good sometimes, knew that there were people sleeping with people, and friends, enemies, frenemies—it came with the working environment. She just never asked specifics and whatever she found out it was mostly because she happened to overhear others or be at a place at the right—or wrong—time.

She had, however, been keeping an ear out about anything related to Tora. She didn’t to care, she didn’t want to know, but it was hard not to. He was a very popular man around the hospital. The nurses that didn’t work with him personally knew him from sight, and it didn’t matter that he worked fourth floor, SCU, or that they barely knew him at all, they were always quick to greet him with a sly smile whenever they ran into him in the halls.

Poppy had seen that happen more than once.

And yes, she’d felt like throttling the nurses, but held herself back because she knew she had no right over a man whose heart she’d obviously broken and left behind.

She felt stupid.

“It worked out great for Candy, though. She really wanted to be off the unit either way, and with the position opening, it was like a godsend.” Erdene lifted one cucumber off an eye and glanced over at Poppy who seemed to be deep in thought. “Did you hear what happened between herself and Dr. Nishioka?”

“What?” Poppy turned to Erdene, her cucumbers falling off her face.

“Girl, you don’t know?”

“Please, don’t tell me she did something crazy. You know how he is.” And what if he had done something and Tora had agreed? Oh god...She wouldn’t be able to stand the idea of Tora going around with another woman, with Candy!

“She asked the doctor out.”

“WHAT!?”

“Yeah!” Erdene took off her other cucumber and sat up to look at her friend. She knew how much Poppy actually cared for Tora. She didn’t understand what had happened between them exactly, but the girl was a mess. Even if she didn’t come out and say it, Erdene knew that she was hurting, that she was anxious, and she was missing Tora like hell. They were always so awkwardly polite with each other when they met at the unit or when reviewing items for patients.

Erdene knew it, but she didn’t push her friend. Just like she didn’t push Quincey when he told her they would have to see each other less often because his father had found out about them. He'd said that he didn’t want to get her in trouble, but they could continue talking if she liked...

They messaged each other each night.

“She told me. She was freaking out that she would get fired.”

“When was this!?” Poppy asked because if Candy had been gone for a couple weeks from the unit, then it must’ve been before that...Was it after she’d broken things off with Tora, had Candy see her chance. Oh god...

“Candy asked the doctor out for coffee, told him that she wanted to get to know him more. Apparently, he shot her down immediately. She was worried that he would go to the supervisor and tell her about what was going on, but she says that he promised that he wouldn’t do so. Apparently, he asked her who had given her the idea to ask him out, but she said no one, that she just wanted to get to know him, BUT that she’d only gotten the courage to do so when _you_ told her that he was single.”

Poppy stared back at Erdene, her mouth open.

“I never told her that in encouragement!” Poppy finally said, shaking herself. “She kept going on about him and how handsome he was, I just told her that I'd never seen him with someone.”

“But he was with _you_!”

“But we weren’t _together_!”

“You were _sleeping_ with each other!” Erdene pointed out. “Poppy, were you considering your relationship as only being ‘fuck buddies’? Because I don’t see you doing that, maybe me or Jacob, but not you!”

“We never called it a relationship,” Poppy started only to have Erdene give her a bored look. “He never asked me! I never asked him!”

“You guys were always together!” Erdene pointed out again. She wanted to shake some sense into her lovesick friend. “Poppy, the man is in LOVE WITH YOU.”

“How do you know!?” Poppy cried out as she threw herself back against the couch. She threw her hands up to her face and willed herself to not cry. “We had agreed to not give anything names—”

“That doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t feel anything for you, Poppy. The man was as stubborn as they come, more serious than a stroke, and he still was obviously into you. He was always watching you, always smiling around you. Poppy, he would come in early to drop off coffee for you. He was respectful and sweet on you.”

“We weren’t meant to be! He … he deserves someone better than me,” Poppy said as she started crying softly. Erdene scooted over to her friend, throwing her arm around her comfortingly.

“Oh, Poppy. Why do you say that? He likes you for you. I’m sure he’s in love with you, even. Is the only reason why you broke things off with him because you thought he was too good for you? Girl, you’re too good for him if he doesn’t see that!”

“I’m so stupid, Erdene. I do like him, but what if it doesn’t work out? I don’t think I can deal with this. I don’t even know how we even started on anything!” Poppy cried against her hands. Erdene shook her head, patting her on the back.

“Poppy, how _did_ you guys even start...seeing each other?”

Poppy lifted her teary eyes to her friend and gave a shaky laugh.

“He walked into one of the sleeping rooms on the 5th floor break room while I was changing and... I almost fell over, but he saved me, and... and... things got weird and we had ...sex.” Poppy could hear her heart pounding, could feel her face heating up in embarrassment. “In the sleeping room.”

Erdene’s eyes widened before she grinned. “Oh, Poppy, you are my hero.”

“I didn’t mean to do it.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean to either.”

“But?”

“Yeah, what’s your but?”

Poppy dropped her gaze to her hands on her lap. “It was amazing...”

Erdene threw her hands up in desperation. “Then what is the problem with being together? As far as I know, he’s never been seen, or heard of, going around with anyone else in the place. You’re the very first woman that he’s gotten close to. Hell! Poppy, at some point there was a rumor going around that the man didn’t like women. That’s never stopped anyone from flirting with him, but… Poppy, I’m pretty sure he loves you. Or was falling in love with you. You’re a beautiful person, inside and out. What would there be for him not to love?”

“He’s a doctor!”

“So is Quincey! But he’s still a great person! Poppy, did you think I was only with him because he was a doctor? Because that’s kind of messed up, even from you. I’m not that easy.”

Erdene sat back and studied her friend. Poppy shook her head sadly and dropped her gaze.

“I know you’re not like that, Erdene. I’m sorry if you felt that I was thinking of that. I would never! You're my friend, and I know that you’re better than that.” Erdene watched her friend sniffle loudly before a fat, wet tear fell on the top of her hands on her lap. “I’m all sorts of messed up lately. Work has been stressful, Tora being mad at me, Candy going on about Tora and how ‘hot’ he is, and just having to keep that secret to myself. It’s nerve wrecking! I know I’ve messed up Erdene! I know I have. I’ve hurt him. God! The way that he looked at me… if looks could kill…”

Erdene groaned, leaning over and taking Poppy’s hands in hers. “Are you in love with him? Because that’s great. Love is great. You deserve someone good like him. Quincey says that Tora’s a little rough around the edges, from growing up in a rough environment, but that he’s a real sweetheart underneath that tough exterior. Poppy, you’re sweet and kind, and beautiful—don’t give me that look—and perfect for him as well. Nobody else in that place can soothe that beast without getting yelled at. You know that? Girl, hadn’t you ever noticed how well you two worked together? For some wild reason, he was always nicer to you. And if he’s been going around with you it’s probably because he’s seen what a great person you are, too!”

“Oh, Erdene! But he’s so angry with me! He hasn’t spoken to me in months besides what he asks me about patients!” Poppy threw her hands to her face again, sobbing into her hands. “I don’t think he’ll want me back! He probably thinks that I’m going around Claude now!”

“Who the heck is Claude?” Erdene asked with a frown. “I’m sure that he’s trying to give you space. He’s like that. But who’s Claude?”

“A nurse from the ER unit.”

Erdene raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Wow. Girl, see! You’re so beautiful, you’ve even caught the attention of someone off the unit!”

“That’s not helping!” Poppy pointed out with a sad shake of her head. “Tora probably thinks I left him for Claude!”

“Why would he think that?”

“Because he saw me leaving the cafeteria with Claude and heard him ask me out.”

Erdene looked shock. There wasn’t a lot that shocked her, with her being a nurse and all, but that really left her with her mouth open.

“Poppy, girl, you are on fire!”

Poppy groaned. “Yeah, I’m on fire, burning everything around. My world is crumbling down around me, my life, even Tora’s life. Argh!”

Erdene shook her head. “No, no. We’re going to figure out a way to fix this! You want him back?”

“I like that man,” Poppy said with a nod of her head. “Heck, I probably even… probably even…”

“Love him?” Erdene encouraged as she kept her eye on her friend’s face. Poppy blushed bright red but started nodding slowly.

“I-I… Yeah. I think I even love him. A little. Or a lot. Oh, god! He probably hates me now!” Poppy started crying again, but Erdene shook her a little by her shoulders.

“Put yourself together, woman! We’re going to figure out what to do. We’re going to get Tora back, we’re going to figure this out! I just need you to calm down, clear your head and work with me.”

“But Erdene,” Poppy held on to her friend’s arm. “What if he doesn’t want me back? What if he doesn’t love me back?” She whispered the last part back in fear.

Erdene sighed, shaking her head, she added, “Then, we… Then, you let him go. You’re a beautiful person, but I don’t need you breaking forever.”

Poppy nodded, her head hanging sadly.

Part of her wanted to know how he felt about her. The truth. Their relationship was built on so many things, but they hadn’t been honest about what they wanted from their time together. Sex didn’t account to love… But… He’d tried. He’d been trying for her and she’d pushed him away.

She started crying again, softly this time, and Erdene threw her arm around her shoulder, holding her tightly.

“It’s okay. If you gotta cry, you go ahead and cry. Clears your mind, you know.”

The two women sat there, huddled together on the couch, each trying to figure out what to do with their own love lives…

.

.

“ **Come** with me, Tora. Come on, man. You need some space, to clear your mind.”

“For the last time, Quincey, how is a loud as hell club supposed to clear my mind?” Tora asked Quincey who shrugged.

“Maybe it’ll be loud enough for you to be unable to hear your own thoughts. But seriously, though, come on. It’ll be better than you staring at that broken mug on the shelf.”

Quincey was referring to the mug that Poppy had given Tora for Christmas. Apparently, he’d gotten drunk and smashed the cup, only to wake up the next morning, feel about it, and try to put it back to together.

Now that cup sat on one of his shelves in the living room and it was unnerving Quincey a bit. Never had he seen Tora being this attached to something, especially a broken mug. It must’ve been bad enough for him to deal with Poppy’s apparent unattachment, but to be holding on to a broken mug?

Tora was in deep.

And Quincey was a little out of his element here.

“How is trying to hook up with some random chick in a club going to help me?” Tora groused as Quincey rolled his eyes at him. “I mean it. I’ve gone my life without and STI and I don’t plan on catching one tonight.”

“Honey, come on now. No one said anything about hooking up with anyone.” Quincey went back to staring at his reflection in the hallway mirror as he fixed his hair. Tora, who lounging in the living room couch playing games on Quincey’s PlayStation, paused the game long enough to turn and give Quincey a disgusted look.

“And stop calling me that. Shit, Quince, it was bad enough that people thought we were a couple through med school.” Tora scoffed when Quincey simply waved him off and kept fixing his hair. “If you keep brushing your hair so damn much it’s going to fall off.”

“My dad still has a beautiful hairline and he’s over sixty. My future looks quite well.”

“Hair transplant.”

“You shut your whore mouth, you jealous dick.” Quincey exclaimed as he pointed his brush at Tora. “Maybe if you brushed your hair more often instead of putting it up in that bun of yours all the time, then maybe you would have more women at your feet.”

“This man bun is the reason why there are many women at my feet. Maybe I should chop my hair off to look like yours so that no one wants me anymore.” Tora had to grin despite himself. He really enjoyed messing with the blond. It had been quite some time since they’d actually hung out together. “Now, I said it before and I’ll say it again. I don’t think I should go with you to the club. Wasn’t Erdene supposed to be going with you?”

“She is.”

“So… I’m not going to be the third wheel.”

“It’s not one of those dates. We’re hanging out for drinks, just to relax and see what happens. Club’s right there, so maybe dancing if we feel like it later. It’s good exercise, you should try it. You’re starting to look a little fluffy, buddy.”

“I’m big boned.” Tora scoffed again. Big boned, tall, and dangerous. He thanked his lucky stars for his height since it always saved him a lot of issues and offered protection growing up. It worked in his favor, especially after getting into so many fights in school. Or not getting into fights, since people threatened him only to regret their words once he stood up to his full height of 6’3”. The girls hadn’t always been interested in his looks, he was an intimidating bastard, but the older he’d gotten and as he’d learned to feel comfortable in his own skin and work with what he got, the ladies had started coming in like bees to honey.

“You tell yourself that.”

“I do.”

“You conceited dick.”

“Thank you,” Tora said with a wave of his hand, catching Quincey off-guard and making him laugh.

“Alright. Haaa… I needed that. Now, come on, you big boned lug, we’re going out—”

“Agh.”

“–And we’re not coming back until you stop moping around.”

“Arhghh!”

Tora groaned, but knew that Quincey was just being a friend. Trying to make him happy. He exited his game and with a heavy sigh, got his jacket and followed behind Quincey.

.

**-Somewhere else in the city-**

“I don’t know how I feel about this, Erdene,” Poppy complained as she tried to pull the lace mesh of her ‘dress’ further down her legs and arrange it. It was a dress, technically… A beautifully decorated lace mesh with embroidered gold and red flowers into it. It had tight, long sleeves and was basically see-through. Underneath it, Poppy was wearing a tight, black slip that barely fell halfway down her thighs and was there to give her a sense of coverage even though that word was the last word Poppy would think to describe it.

Why she was wearing the lace mesh on top of the black slip was beyond her. It didn’t do anything beyond look pretty and probably call more attention to what was visible underneath it—the curvy body of a twenty-six-year-old heartbroken woman.

“It looks absolutely gorgeous on you, Poppy,” Erdene said as she came to stand behind her. Poppy glanced at her friend standing behind her and holding on to her shoulders. “You need to relax. I don’t want to leave you alone and feeling bad for yourself. Tonight’s about you and making you feel beautiful. I thought this dress would make you feel that way.”

“The dress is beautiful, but I think the size is definitely your size. I don’t want to ruin your dress. It looks expensive.”

“It’s fine. I think it looks better on you. It’s lace with flowers and delicate and looks soft like you. It’s definitely you.”

Poppy turned around and took in Erdene’s appearance. She was wearing a leather mini skirt with a silky, silver colored, strappy top that dipped down the middle in a “V”. Poppy blinked at the display of a black flower tattoo that laid right in the middle of Erdene’s chest. It reminded Poppy of those henna tattoos, with its intricate curves and swirls. It was perfect on Erdene.

Which then reminded her of Tora’s colorful tattoos and immediately made her tear up.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Erdene gasped as she cupped her face between her hands. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

“It’s nothing! Just being silly!” Poppy answered quickly, reaching up to wipe her eye with a knuckle, but Erdene caught her hand and started pulling her over to the bathroom.

“Hold on, I’ve got a tissue for you. Don’t smudge your cute eyeliner, girl.” She handed Poppy some tissues and told her to daintily pat it down. Satisfied, she leaned against the counter and studied her curvy friend. “Okay, now ‘fess up. What’s wrong?”

Poppy sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor and trying to think of how to explain it to her. It was complicated. She was still thinking about Tora. She missed him. It hurt. Everything reminded her of him.

“Pop?”

“Your tattoo reminded me of Tora.”

Erdene tapped her finger to her lip. “Hmm. Whoa. He has tattoos? Well, of course he’d have tattoos! That man is a mystery.”

“They’re colorful and dramatic and …” Poppy sighed, her eyes staring off into space for a moment. Erdene chuckled.

“Hot, sexy, attractive, everything in between?”

“All of the above.”

“Really?”

Poppy nodded back and continued. “He’s got them on his back, his pecs, and all down his arms. Sleeves?”

“Tora?” Erdene asked, clearly surprised, her eyes widening. “The doctor Nishioka?”

“Yeah. He’s got these beautiful golden Japanese fish and flowers on his arms and on his back.” Yeah, of course Poppy knew exactly what they were. She knew exactly what they looked like and knew exactly where they were placed. Her hands had wandered over them many times during post-sex cuddling and he didn’t seem to mind her poking at him. Several times as he’d laid in bed, face down on his belly, she’d sat around and trailed her fingers softly over his muscled back, over the fish, the flowers, the designs.

“Wow. I wonder what the story is there,” Erdene commented. “Well, girl, if you want to see and touch those fish and flowers, then you know what to do.”

“I don’t… know. I’m still thinking about it,” Poppy replied with a bite of her lip. Yeah, she knew what she had to do. Call him. Except, phone calls had never been her thing and she wouldn’t know what to say. What if he didn’t pick up? What if he did pick up? What if someone else picked up his phone? She would die.

Erdene sighed.

“You’ll figure it out. Come on, get your shoes on, grab your bag and let’s get out of here.”

After they were finished getting ready, she dragged the shorter girl all the way out to the car and drove them to get some drinks, which Erdene pointed out, were desperately needed in Poppy’s case.

Poppy wasn’t sure what to make of the place.

She still wasn’t sure if it was a bar or a club, but probably a mix of both. There was a long line circling the corner, but Erdene pulled her all the way to the front where two giant, thick, bouncers stood watching over the line of people.

“Line’s that way, sweetheart,” one of the bouncers told her with a nod of his chin. Erdene pulled her phone out and showed him something, at which the man nodded once more, and to Poppy’s amazement, stepped aside to let them through the glass doors.

“Thank you guys!” Erdene blew them a kiss as she pulled Poppy inside.

“Erdene, holy avocado! What was that?"

“Connection baby. Quincey got us a table in the back, upstairs, so we can relax and be out of people’s way and it’s protected enough so that we can enjoy the music without going deaf by how loud it is.” The two girls weaved their way through the crowd to the back row of stairs, headed up, where a series of tables and booths stood. They found their booth, waved a girl over who was passing drinks and ordered.

Poppy looked around and realized that the tables where they were at were closed off to the rest of the club. It was… holy macaroons… Was it VIP!?

“How in the world did Quincey… Who’s he connected to?”

“Who knows. People. Poppy, relax. Have some fun. We can go dancing later if you’d like.”

The waiter brought them their drinks and with a ‘Salud!’ Erdene started sipping her margarita. Poppy wasn’t sure if she should drink or stay sober. Who was going to drive them home?

“You go ahead, Erdene. I’ll stay off the drinks for a bit. Someone needs to drive us home,” she explained.

“Well, I suppose we shouldn’t get completely shit-faced.”

“Hellloooo, beautiful!”

Both girls turned and found Quincey and—shit, fuck, Nantucket! —Tora standing by their seat. Erdene smiled, scooting over to let Quincey slide in next to her. Poppy tried to avert her eyes when the blond pulled Erdene for a kiss.

Tora glared at Poppy.

Then glared back at the smooching couple.

What in the world was Poppy doing here?

Did Quincey play him? Had he planned this? Had he planned to have Erdene bring Poppy so they could meet up here? He tried to catch Poppy’s eye but she was looking everywhere except him and the still kissing couple.

“Ahem!” Tora cleared his throat loudly and they broke apart, grinning at each other. Quincey motioned at Tora to sit down.

Poppy’s eyes snap over to Tora. The only empty spot was next to her. Uh… her heart raced in nervousness, excitement… fear?

Poppy scoot over more to give him room. He eyed her before taking a seat and glaring at Quincey across the table.

“Hello, Poppy! I didn’t know you were coming today! How have you been?”

He answered the question that Tora was about to ask him. Tora peeked at her from the corner of his eye.

“I… Uh. Wasn’t planning on coming, but Erdene practically dragged me out here.” She scratched her hair nervously. “I’ve been good. I didn’t know you were going to come either.”

“Yeah, me and Erdene were coming out for drinks. It’s been a long week.”

“Yeah. It has. Umm… Hi, T-Tora,” she said with a small smile at the big man next to her. He finally turned to her, eyes roaming her from head to waist, taking in what she was wearing. Her hair was down and around her shoulders, the glossy brown locks cascading beautifully around her face. He could only remember what they’d look like spread out on his bed, his pillows.

“Hello, Poppy. How are you?”

“I’m good,” she dropped her gaze to the drink in front of her. “Thank you.”

This was going to be an awkward, awkward night.

An hour into the evening, Quincey and Erdene were already happily buzzed, Tora was sitting there sober and horny as hell sitting next to Poppy who had only drank the one margarita that she’d already had in front of her when they’d gotten there.

“We’re going dancing!” Erdene announced and leaned across the table to take Poppy’s hand. The girl squealed nervously and shook her head.

“I don’t think I can. I’m not a good dancer!” she explained and could feel her face heating up. Erdene shook her head. She told her that she was lying. The ‘why be moody when you can shake your booty’ poster on her apartment told no lie. Poppy shook her head, but then again, she didn’t want to sit there by herself with Tora. She felt like an utter chicken shit, but she decided to leave with Erdene instead of dealing with him.

Tora watched the trio walk down the stairs to the main floor where everyone was dancing. He was more than fucking horny now as he took in the rest of Poppy’s attire, her legs and body under that lace mesh dress that did nothing but tease him. She wore a slinky one-piece dress with straps that revealed her delicate arms and shoulders… and thighs. Thighs and legs for days.

Fuck.

Poppy danced awkwardly with Erdene. The girl was happily buzzed and dancing between her and Quincey. Poppy tried to stay as close to her as she could without being weird and far as possible without having to be near any other guy or girl that might want to get freaky with her.

She jumped slightly when she heard the crowd cheer and different music started playing. The DJ said something over the speaker that she couldn’t understand, but suddenly there was people jumping and fist bumping into the air… she gaped.

Erdene laughed and swung an arm around Poppy, leaning down to say into her ear.

“Girl, it’s gonna be a good night! Jump, jump, jump!”

Poppy had to grin at that, the taller girl’s energy was catchy and soon Poppy found herself jumping along with her and the rest of the crowd.

Soon, the music changed again to that electronic song that Poppy was sure was ‘Sandstorm’. She would lose it if they dropped soap suds like that one of those 90’s rom-com movies. She would lose it!

They didn’t drop suds, but they dropped glow sticks. She laughed and caught some, waving it in the air like Erdene.

She was so into the beat that she didn’t realize she’d lost Erdene in the crowd until she opened her eyes and didn’t see her anymore. She stopped and looked around. She couldn’t even spot Quincey’s blond head anywhere. Shit.

She’d also left her purse and phone at the booth. She needed to get back there before anyone else got the idea to try and get close to her…

Erdene stopped and glanced around as she looked for Poppy. She panicked when she realized she couldn’t see her anywhere. She pulled on Quincey’s sleeve and he turned to look down at her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know where Poppy’s gone to!” she told him as she craned her neck to look for her.

“Call her!”

“I don’t have my phone with me. I left it at the booth with Tora!”

“Shit. Let’s go back and go call her!”

The couple made their way through the jumping crowd back to their booth. Tora was on his phone, looking bored as hell when he saw them coming back. He frowned when he realized that Poppy wasn’t with them.

“Where’s Poppy?”

“Don’t get mad—”

“Where the fuck is Poppy?” Tora growled as he stood up and glanced over the side of the railing to the dancing crowd below. Shit. He saw nothing.

“She got lost while we were dancing. One second she was there, and then suddenly she wasn’t.” Erdene said nervously as she took in the fuming, worried look on the older man’s face. He was going to punch someone. Erdene pulled her phone out and dialed Poppy’s phone only to blanche when it started ringing… Inside Poppy’s bag which laid in the seat next to them. Eyes wide, she shot Tora a nervous look. “She left her phone here…”

“FUCKING HELL. I’m gonna go look for her. Give me her phone, I’ll take it with me. Don’t lose her bag.”

“We’ll come with,” Erdene offered but Tora shot her a look.

“No. Someone needs to stay here to wait for her if she heads over this way. Stay here, Erdene.”

“I’ll help,” Quincey offered and Tora gave him a look.

“Erdene, will you be okay here by yourself?”

“I’m a black belt, yeah I’ll be fine.”

“Alright.”

Tora rushed down the stairs down to dance floor, Quincey behind him.

He was panicking, imagining all sorts of crazy scenarios where someone had kidnapped Poppy, someone had drugged Poppy, someone had Poppy hidden in a room somewhere about to do crazy things to her.

Fuck no.

Tora threw himself into the crowd without looking back at Quincey.

Poppy made it out of the dancing crowd to stand on the sideline. She tried to stand on tiptoe to look over the crowd, but even the heels she was wearing didn’t help her much with her height. She sighed and tried to figure out where to go to make it back upstairs to the private booths. She was about to head up a flight of stairs when someone called her name.

“Tor—oh. Hi Claude,” she said when she turned and found Claude standing behind her. He smiled at her and did a once over, smiling even bigger when he took in her outfit.

“Wow, Poppy. You look great!” he said as he came over and gave her a small hug. “What are you doing here? Are you by yourself?”

“No. I’m with some friends, except I got lost in the crowd. I’m trying to make myself back up to the booths upstairs.” She pointed to the booths in the balconies.

“Oh, damn. That’s a good friend. Well, why don’t you call them?”

“I forgot my phone in my bag with my other friend. I don’t have it with me.”

“Would you like to borrow mine?” Claude offered as he pulled his phone from his back pocket. He unlocked it and handed it to Poppy who nodded.

“Thank you so much, Claude! You’re a life saver. Are you here with friends as well?” Poppy asked as she dialed Erdene’s number. Claude nodded and pointed back to a booth behind him. There was a couple guys and some girls waiting for him there.

“Yeah, some of the unit nurses. We happened to have the same day off and decided, what the hell. We needed some time off to relax. It’s been kind of insane lately!”

“Tell me about it. It’s felt like a full-moon this whole month,” Poppy commented as she held the phone to her ear. Erdene wasn’t picking up. Dammit. She tried to remember Tora’s number and hesitated. Would he pick up? Shoot.

Maybe she could call her own phone? Yeah, that was it.

She called Erdene once more before her own and sighed in relief when she picked up.

“Poppy! Where are you?”

“I’m, uh, on the other side of the dance floor, I’m guessing. I’m under…” She tried to find a point of reference. There was some fountain-looking thing that changed colors next to her. “The color- changing fountain with the naked glass statue on it.”

“The Venus! Holy shit. I was so worried! Tora and Quincey are looking for you. Don’t move! I’ll call Tora and tell him. He’s got your phone. Don’t move.”

“Alright. No problem. I’ll stay here. Thank you!”

“No worries girl. I’m hanging up!”

Poppy sighed once more and handed back Claude his phone. “Thank you so much! I was able to talk to my friend. One of the guys is coming back for me. They were looking for me.”

“No problem, anything for you,” Claude said as he smiled.

Poppy leaned over and gave him a quick hug, thanking him for the phone once more.

And that is how Tora found her.

Tora weaved himself through the crowd, eyes scanning for Poppy. He caught the looks that several women were giving, eyeing him curiously and with blatant interest when he went past them.

He wasn’t interested.

There was only one person whom he was interested in and he needed to find her before someone else did. Poppy’s phone started vibrating and he saw it was Erdene calling.

“Hello?”

“She called me back! She said she’s by the Venus fountain!”

“Alright. I’m heading over there right now.” Thank fuck, Tora sighed.

“I told her to stay put.”

“Good. I’m heading there right now.” Tora hung up the phone and stuck it into his pocket. He changed direction and headed to the tall, glowing fountain at the end of the dance floor.

Just as he popped through the crowd, heart pumping as loud as the music, he stopped.

In front of him, by the statue, was Poppy and that ER nurse guy.

Hugging.

He saw red.

He beelined it towards them.

“Thank you!” Poppy said once more as she pulled back and hugged herself. She was smiling at Claude who stuck his hands in his pockets and looked back at her.

“You look very nice,” he commented. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you outside of scrubs before.”

“I was dressed up for the holiday party,” She explained. “I didn’t see you around.”

“I was there, I got there late.”

“Ah, no wonder. I left early.” Poppy giggled as she remembered why. Tora, that’s why. “I – Oh. Tora!”

She gasped and was about to make her way over to him but stopped short when she saw the look on his face. She swallowed.

She didn’t know whether she should be scared or… shit. Utterly turned on.

“Tora?” she squeaked before he came to stand in front of her, making her crane her head back to look at him. He was looking all over face, probably trying to see she was okay. She licked her lips nervously, feeling herself flushing under his gaze.

“Are you okay?” he asked gruffly and she nodded. He eyed the other guy quickly before putting a hand behind her head and pulling her towards him, bending down and planting a very hot, very wet, very thorough kiss on her lips.

Poppy gasped against his mouth, quickly overcoming her surprise and kissing him back. Her hands quickly went to his shirt and held on tight as he plundered her mouth. There was no other way to describe it. Plunder was a good word.

He pulled back, dark heated eyes staring into hers as she panted heavily, sounding as if she’d been running miles.

“Let’s go home.”

“But…” she eyed Claude quickly, noticing the other man staring off into space, pretending he hadn’t noticed them making-out in front of him. “Uh, Claude. Thank you for, uh, letting me borrow your phone. I’m going home now.”

“Yeah, uh, good good. I’ll see ya around Poppy.” He gave Tora one last look before turning around and heading back to his group of friends. A couple of women nurses were staring, mouth hanging wide open at Poppy and Tora who were still huddled together.

Tora glanced back down to Poppy.

She was warm, flushed, alive and well and very close to him.

He still hadn’t let go of her grip on her hair.

“Tora, I left my bag with Erdene. We should—”

“It’s fine. Here’s your phone. Call her and tell her we’re going home.”

“But my bag.”

“We’ll get it tomorrow.” Tora grabbed her hand and started dragging across the floor towards the exit. She didn’t say anything, just held on tightly and tried to keep up with his long-legged steps. Heart pounding, as well as something else, she swallowed nervously and didn’t know whether she should be worried that he was dragging her out of the club to go…

Home.

His home, probably. Obviously, since she didn’t have her keys.

He seemed on edge. He was frowning slightly, mouth set on a grim line, and wasn’t saying anything else.

She waved goodnight at the bouncer when they went through the door and started heading down the street to a parking garage.

He finally let go of her hand when they got to his car and stood there staring at each other breathing hard.

“Tora, I—”

“Poppy, you—”

“I’m sorry!”

“Shit!” he ran an angry hand through his hair and took a step back. He let his head fall back and stood staring at the ceiling for a few moments before turning back to look at her.

“We’re going home. My house.” He said the words slowly as if he was trying to make sure she understood what he was saying. She nodded back, stomach fluttering in nervous excitement.

“Yes.”

“I’m…” He walked back over and stared hotly down at her. “I’m still angry with you...”

“I know, I’m sorry!” she started, but he put a finger over her lips.

“I’m still angry with you. I’m confused as hell, I want to scream at you, to yell, to cry, probably all of the above.” She nodded slowly. His jaw twitched. “But I also want to fuck you over sideways. Fuck me, right?” He laughed shortly.

Her eyes widened before a dark, hot look came over them as well.

“Is that a promise?” she whispered back, catching him off-guard. He furrowed his eyebrows, studying her face for…doubt, confusion, reassurance.

“I… Get in the car.” He said, finally deciding to get her home as quickly as possible before she changed her mind.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

Poppy bit her nails nervously and glanced over at Tora’s dark figure as he drove them home. He hadn’t spoken another word, but if the heavy, tight hold of his hand over hers was an indication, she was in for a very long hot night.

She wanted to groan at the stab of heat that started pooling between her thighs. Fuck. She was going to let him do whatever the hell he felt like because… because she had no self-control when it came to the man. He glanced over at her who was still eyeing him darkly and smirked.

He sped up the car.

They hadn’t even made it to his front door before Tora threw his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. He lifted her and she threw her legs up and around his waist, arms around his neck. Their mouth fused together and he kissed her thoroughly, tongue seeking tongue, as they battled for dominance.

Shit. He needed to get her inside, so he could get inside her.

He fumbled with the lock until he finally got the door unlocked and opened, hurrying inside. He slammed the door shut and turned, pressing Poppy against it with his body. He kissed her again, biting her lower lip, making her moan.

“Oh, shit!”

“You know what’s going to happen, right?” he rasped again her lips, lifting his head up long enough to see her expression, to see if she was okay with it. She studied his eyes, trying to see if he would be okay with it. She knew she was more than okay with it. She needed this. Needed him.

“Oh, Tora!” she pulled his head down for another kiss. “Fuck me, over sideways, whatever. I don’t care.”

Tora groaned before taking her mouth once more and starting for the living room couch.

This was going to be a very long night indeed.

....


	7. Good Girl, Bad Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tora isn't quite sure that Poppy is sorry. She has the perfect apology.  
> ..............  
> ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO MISS LILYDUSK FOR HER WEBTOON "MIDNIGHT POPPY LAND". FOLLOW HER PATREON FOR GOODIES❤👏

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HONESTLY, I DON'T HAVE A PLAYLIST THIS TIME.  
> So, go ahead and play whatever Smexy time songs you want. 👀👀👀
> 
> I would recommend Deftones lol.
> 
> It's all pretty much sexy time.

**...**

**They** hadn’t even made it to his front door before Tora threw his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. He lifted her and she threw her legs up around his waist, arms around his neck. Their mouths fused together as he kissed her thoroughly, tongue seeking tongue, as they battled for dominance.

Shit. He needed to get her inside so he could get inside her.

He fumbled with the lock until he finally got the door unlocked and opened, hurrying inside. He slammed the door shut and turned, pressing Poppy against it with his body. He kissed her again, biting her lower lip, making her moan.

“Oh, shit!”

“You know what’s going to happen, right?” he rasped against her lips, lifting his head up long enough to see her expression, to see if she was okay with it. She studied his eyes, trying to see if he would be okay with it. She needed this, she needed him.

“Oh, Tora!” She pulled his head down for another kiss. “Fuck me, over sideways, whatever. I don’t care!”

Tora groaned before taking her mouth once more and starting for the living room couch.

This was going to be a very long night indeed.

Tora dropped Poppy onto the couch making her bounce before falling backwards onto the cushions. The dress that she was wearing lifted off slightly around her thighs and he stared at her toned legs like a thirsting man who’d finally found water in the desert.

He pulled his shirt off and stared at her, eyes wild. She was breathing hard, her chest rising and falling quickly as she stared back up at him, seeing those golden eyes of his burning into hers. Shit. When was the last time that they’d been together? Oh, yeah. That time in the car, when it had been quick and emotionless—easy access as he’d bent her over the middle console of the car and fucked her from behind.

Then left her crying in the backseat of her car…

She shoved that thought away and focused her attention on now, on him and his beautifully tattooed chest that made her want to lick every single corner of it. Maybe some other time. Right now, she wanted it hard and fast and now.

“Dammit, Poppylan, stop lookin’ at me that way,” he growled as he started working on his belt and zipper.

“What way?” she asked, swallowing hard to get some of the raspiness off her throat.

“Like you want to eat me up.”

“But I do. Lick you like an ice cream cone, as a matter of fact,” she said with a nod and the most innocent look on her face that she could muster. If he touched her now, didn’t matter where, she would combust. The little pocket between her thighs felt like a furnace. A very excited, leaky furnace.

“Fuck.”

“Yeah, but you’re taking too long.”

He eyed her, squinting his eyes at her, before throwing his head back and laughing loudly.

“Shit. Poppy, you’re hilarious… Now, where were we?”

“You getting rid of those pants of yours,” she pointed out as she reached for him. He groaned when her hand hit his stomach, touching the sinewy muscles there. He was so hard that he hadn’t even pulled his pants down and already, the blushing head of his cock was peeking at her from behind his underwear. She touched the tip of it with her forefinger, giggling to herself when it bounced. “I think he’s very happy to see me.”

“Of course, he is. Why wouldn’t he be? He knows he’s about to get a taste of your hot little pussy. He’s excited.” Tora said with a wolfish grin as he squeezed her breasts through her dress. “We need to you out of this dress. I wouldn’t mind ripping it off you, but I think you might like it. The dress, I mean.”

“Here, I can just pull this off,” Poppy said as she pulled the lace mesh part of it over her head. She tossed it across the living room to the other couch. “Now, this part here, it doesn’t matter what we do with it.” She pointed at the black slip underneath.

“Well, in that case…” Poppy yelped in surprise when he reached down and pulled the slip up around her waist and the straps down, revealing her black lace bra. She was way too turned on to care about the fact that she was wearing the most revealing pair of lace panties that he’d ever seen on her. Erdene had said that the silk slip required good underwear and no lines, so he’d gotten Poppy to buy the tiny lace, err, scraps of lace that was considered underwear. She was sure that Tora could see through the tiny lace triangle to her hot pussy and beyond. There wasn’t enough of it to cover her in between so, when she bent her legs to push herself upwards a little more, she was sure that he’d seen everything in between…

Not that he minded, from the look of his eyes and the groan he gave.

“Damn. You’re delicious.” Tora rasped as he stared at her. She could see the hard outline of his cock under his jeans.

“And you’re wearing too much clothes.”

“Wha—”

She sat up quickly, onto her knees, as she reached for him. She pulled his zipper the rest of the way down, sliding her hands to either side of his waist as she pulled his pants and underwear down together. She bit her lips, making a show of licking it afterwards so he could see, when she revealed her prize.

“There he is…” Her hair was all sorts of crazy and she used it to her convenience as she gazed at Tora from beneath the fall of her hair and lashes. He looked shocked and partly confused when she reached out and took him by the shaft, using it as a sort of lever to move him around.

Shit. He was going to lose it. Her hot little hand over his dick always did things to him.

 _She_ did things to him.

**Poppy** felt like a horrible person.

Here she was, half naked on Tora’s couch, hands over his body, teasing him, when she’d pretty much broken his heart before. She would think he’d been heartbroken, considering the things that had been said and the way they had been acting.

He was flushed, eyes half lidded as he watched every little thing she did to him.

She had to make it up to him. After all, if she hadn’t been acting a little… Oh, who knows, a little _bipolar_ , then maybe they wouldn’t have gone so long staying away from each other. How many days of hot, sexy time had they lost due to her insecurity? Sure, she still felt he could do better, but it wasn’t as if he was complaining about her. She felt horrible that she had doubted his words.

“Come here,” she said as she gave his hard shaft a squeeze and pulled him towards her on the couch. She moved over to one side so he could sit next to her. “Sit down for a moment,” she encouraged as he continued to study her, not saying a word, but he listened to her either way.

Poppy dropped to her knees in front of him and watched his eyes widen in surprise.

“Poppy what are—”

“I want to. Please.” She started with a squeeze. “I... owe you an apology.”

He flinched. “You don’t have to do this to apologize.”

“Oh, but I do. I think you deserve it.”

“I—”

“Tora, stop.” He shut his trap and stared at her. She rested her head against his knee and stared up at him, watching the way Tora Junior twitched, hardening even further under her gaze. Soon, the tip was touching his stomach. “I owe you an apology,” she started again and waited for him to interrupt, but he didn’t. She ran the tip of a forefinger down the shaft, stopping right at the spot where his warm sac started. “I acted like a child with you. I disregarded your feelings for the fear of getting hurt without realizing that I was hurting _you_.”

He took in a ragged breath as he tried to pay attention to what she was saying. Her large eyes were locked on his, but the way that her hand was moving made it difficult for him to focus. The more he had to stay still and listen to her, the more that he wanted to move.

“I was afraid of being hurt. I was afraid that you would decide that you didn’t want me anymore when you found someone who was smarter, prettier, with more degrees than my own.” She thought about all the women providers in the hospital and the more qualified nurses that he could set his eyes on. But he’d chosen to start some sort of clandestine relationship with one who was fresh out of school and younger than him.

She wasn’t even as pretty as Erdene or some of the other nurses. She only had regular brown hair and regular brown eyes, and if she was honest with herself, she was on the chunky side. Not that he had ever seemed to mind at all.

Poppy dropped her finger to the wrinkly sac below, not really thinking about what she was doing as she started tracing the shapes and swirls.

“But you kept coming back again and again, and I didn’t understand why. It still baffles me, to be honest.”

Tora clenched his jaw. He didn’t know if she was doing it on purpose or if she truly wasn’t aware of what she was doing. He was sure she was teasing him, otherwise she wouldn’t have told him to sit down practically butt naked on the couch, his pants around his ankles as she sat face into his crotch and her fingers on him. He didn’t think he could last that long.

“You just need to accept the fact that some things happen without an explanation. I like you, you like me, we’re compatible. I like your brain, you like my body, I _love_ your body and it’s just the way things are between us. We’re good with each other, physically and emotionally,” Tora gritted out quickly. He was so close to just snatching up the girl and tossing her onto the couch beneath him. Or over him. It didn’t matter, as long as he got inside her.

It had been way too long.

“I... Hmm.” Poppy said nothing else. She turned her head a little more so that she was staring up at him and drew closer to his groin always watching the way his golden eyes followed her every move. “I want to do this for you.”

“I really need to be inside you.”

“I want you inside me as well. I need you... But I want to do this for you. Consider it a... An ‘I’m sorry I was acting a little psycho bitch’ apology.” She smiled softly when his eyes darkened at her words. She stayed still, wondering if he would push her away... except... He ran his gaze over her face, over her mouth, dropping his gaze to her bra-covered breast and back up again. Satisfied, he leaned back and rested his arms on the back part of the couch.

“Alright. If you insist on apologizing... Then make sure I can tell you’re really sorry...”

Poppy was momentarily surprised... But shook it off before she sat back on her knees and faced him straight on, her hot hands resting on his thick, powerful thighs.

“Yes, Doctor Nishioka.”

Shit. Tora swallowed hard when he heard those last two words.

This was going to be really interesting.

.

 **If** anyone would have guess that she’d be on her knees between Dr. Tora Nishioka’s spread thighs as he sat butt ass naked on his couch... Ready to take his beautiful, thick penis inside her mouth... She would have said they were crazy perverts who needed a good cleansing.

But now, Poppy wanted to laugh.

Because that’s exactly where she was, how she was, and what she was about to do.

Shoot.

Her mouth watered and her own thighs tingle as she stared at his hot piece of juicy meat in front of her...

She glanced at his face as she took him in her hand, one on the shaft and one on the crown where she placed her thumb, index, and middle finger around it. She heard the intake of air as he inhaled and watched his abs flex in response. Call her crazy, but she wanted to just lay her head on his stomach and sleep there, or simply be there, feeling his warm skin against her own and watching his penis do its thing.

She had issues.

Ha-ha.

“I love how responsive you are.”

“I’m just fucking horny as hell that’s what,” Tora gritted his teeth and Poppy tut-tutted him to stop when he raised a hand ready to move it towards her.

“No hands. You sit there and enjoy.”

“Fuck. I thought you said you wanted me to fuck you over sideways.”

Poppy gave him a look and grinned. “I do but let me do this first.”

She moved her hand, softly squeezing his shaft as she tested its hardness. She would never get over how he could be soft, hot, and fragile, but hard and just delicious at the same time. He was a good size, well-proportioned as the rest of him, and she wouldn’t have expected anything else from the 6’3” man. _Ahem_ , a _very_ good size, that is.

She gave him a few good pulls before finally moving closer to him and kissing the tip softly as he sucked in a deep breath. Staring up at him behind her loose hair, she licked him slowly, enjoying the feel of the spongy head and made him jump with a soft groan when she touched her tongue to the center. He wasn’t horrifyingly HUGE but was definitely big enough to make her mouth stretch to fit him. She had never tried to take him into her mouth entirely, but she was willing to say that he would fill her throat quite well

She teased the spongy head a couple more times, allowing herself to run her tongue around the top and around the bottom of the crown, making sure to give the stretched nerve on the underside some attention.

“Shit... Poppy!” Tora gritted as he clenched the couch and tried to keep his hips from moving. Whoa. She had never done this before and he wouldn’t complain about it, but it still took him by surprise that she was so into it. “You’re going to make me come.”

“So, do it, if you have to,” she shrugged at him calmly before dropping her mouth back onto him.

She took a deep breath and opened her mouth wide to take him inside. She felt giddy inside as she watched his eyes nearly bugging out before he threw his back and bit his lip to hold back a groan. She could tell it was difficult for him to hold back from the way his hands clenched at the couch, his abdominal muscles kept flexing, and the veins on his neck were starting to pop out from all his straining and gnashing of his teeth.

Poppy sucked him a little, placing one hand around the bottom of the shaft to she could pump it in tune with the suction of her mouth. She loved the clean smell of Tora, the taste of Tora, the feel of Tora in her mouth, and she understood why a lot of women actually enjoyed this. She felt powerful, watching the dark Viking of a man and doctor that he was, panting as if he’d been running miles, twisting on the couch, practically at her mercy.

With a gasp of her own, she raised her lips off from around his cock, but pressed them to the underneath of his shaft instead, tongue drawing circles around it as if licking an ice cream cone.

“You enjoying it?” she asked as she cleared her throat to speak to him. Tora opened his eyes and looked down at her.

“I... I’m trying to decide if you are sorry. I'm having some trouble believing you’re sorry enough.” Whoa there, Tiger.

Tora surprised himself with that. Where the hell had that come from? He watched Poppy raise her eyebrows, but smirk before she dipped her head and took the tip into her mouth again, giving it a couple enthusiastic sucks and licks before letting go of it with an audible pop.

“Alright... How about... I let you take a little bit of control then?” Poppy motioned for him to give her a hand and he did, letting her take his sweating hand and lead it to her head, to thread in her hair.

“Are you sure, Poppy?” he rasped because he was on the brink of losing it. He really was. The feel of her hot wet tongue on his aching cock was enough to make his eyes roll backwards into the back of his head.

“ **Yes**.” She looked straight at him and nodded. With a swallow, she watched his eyes darken, his gaze change, and heard his voice deepen considerably.

“I don’t think you’re sorry enough, Miss Poppylan,” Tora said darkly as his fingers clenched in her head, making her wince softly at the pull of her scalp. “You really need to show me that you’re sorry.”

“Yes, doctor,” she said confidently as she opened his lips so she could take him into her mouth again. She tried to think of everything and anything that didn’t include him gloriously naked before her in case her body decided to do something crazy like, oh, who knows... Come!

She tried to calm down and let him take control. His eyes were dark and studying her, his hand rough in her hair as he slowly started pushing her head down on his lap, enjoying the feel of her soft lips and wet tongue sliding down and around him.

“Fuck... Yes...”

Poppy tried to relax her jaw to accommodate his size but giving herself a chance to softly let him feel her teeth, a chance to still suction his length. He wiggled down closer to the edge of the couch so that his bottom was as close to the edge of the seat as possible. Poppy rested her elbows on his thighs as he moved the other hand to her head as well, giving her a moment of panic that she had to chase away. She knew that he wouldn’t force her to do something like taking his whole length down her throat without at least giving her a warning.

She glanced up at him, saw the heat, the intensity in his eyes and he moved her head down, a little bit deeper each time, not entirely pushing his entire self into her mouth, but letting her know that he wasn’t going to let her move away.

Putting a hand on his shaft, she blinked at him a couple of times and closed her eyes, letting him get the hint... Behind her closed eyes, she could only hear Tora’s harsh breathing and the beat of her pounding heart. She breathed in deep and then she felt him pushing her head down further, moving her head faster against him, but the place where she had kept her hand made it so that he couldn’t sink further than that.

He pulled her mouth off him causing Poppy to shoot him a confused look.

“There are other parts of me that haven’t received any attention,” he told her and she looked confused for a moment before he raised an eyebrow at her and took hold of her other hand, bringing it down to hold his hot sac beneath. She licked her lips, feeling the taste of his precum before she dipped her head again and took one side into her mouth, sucking gently on the sac. Tora moaned softly, closing his eyes for a moment before looking back at her again. He pressed her head down against it with an ‘Open Wide’ so she could lick and take the other end of his sac into her mouth. “FUCK, fuck, fuck... Yes. Lick it good, sweetheart.”

Poppy could feel how much his sac was starting to tighten up, pulling up higher as she ran her hand up and down his shaft, and he lifted her head again, pulling it back to the crown with its deepening color...

“Open wide, sweetheart... Yesss, take it down like a good girl... There you go...”

_Tora_ watched his Poppy, his beautiful, beautiful Poppy as she worked her mouth over his aching cock. He couldn’t get enough of those puffy pink lips as they slid around his shaft, as she sucked on the weeping crown, his eyes closing as she licked the hole at the tip. He knew she was tasting the precum there, felt unabashed pleasure at the fact that she seemed to be enjoying this. She hadn’t tried to pull back yet and he knew that he was being a little rougher already, pulling her down further than she could possibly be okay with.

If she pulled back, he would stop... but he didn’t _want_ to stop.

He didn’t want her to _want_ to stop...

He could feel his spine starting to tingle, his toes feeling that clench of pleasure and warmth through his body. He reached down and pulled her breasts free of the confines of her bra, enjoying the way that her rosy tipped breasts swung as he pulled her up and down on his dick. “Touch your breasts, Poppy. Touch those cute little buds. I want to see you.”

Poppy whimpered, eyes shooting up to his face as she let go of his cock to drop her hands to her breasts. She was trusting him; she was putting her trust on him that he wouldn’t start fucking her face.

Oh, fuck. But how he wanted to.

Poppy sighed in pleasure when she cupped her breasts and pinched her hard, little nipples between two fingers each, teasing, and pulling just so, making delicious darts of fire shoot to her core. She was practically dripping... If she took off that last piece of lace from between her legs, she just knew that she would be dripping onto his tiled floor.

“Pinch them, sweetheart. Pinch those nipples... Imagine that it is me twisting and pulling those tiny morsels into my mouth... Close your eyes and feel your hot little fingers on those pretty little nipples... They’re so hard, aren’t they?”

She whimpered and he felt the vibrations on his dick. Tora sat up further, keeping her mouth on him as he reached down to her... He dropped his hand onto the small of her back, sliding his hand down to trace the small strap of her lace thong. “What were you thinking when you bought this?” he asked her, because it was something that he hadn’t seen on her before. Not that tiny anyways. She whimpered again and he lifted her head off him. “What?”

“I didn’t want to buy it.”

“But you did and you’re wearing it. So, what were you thinking?” He gave her left cheek a tiny pinch and she jumped a little.

“I wasn’t thinking!” she gasped as she reached out for his cock with her hands, but he stopped her when he tightened his hold on her hair. “Oh! I’m sorry!”

“Were you expecting someone to see them? To see you wearing them?” Despite himself, the first thing that came to mind was that idiot Claude. He knew she probably wouldn’t, but he couldn’t help but think about what he would say if he ever knew what kind of underwear Poppy had been wearing underneath her dress at the club. It made him all sorts of...possessive.

“N-no. It was Erdene! She made me buy them!”

“And you’re a good girl who listens?” Tora gave her a smirk and pinched her other cheek, making her gasp and wiggled around a bit. “I didn’t tell you to move your hands away from your nipples. Keep pinching them.”

Poppy moaned, closing her eyes at the feel of her hands on her breasts and the hand clenching in her hair, the feel of not being able to move away from his hold. He had her on her knees unable to do anything but whatever he told her to do.

“So, are you a good girl who listens?”

“Yes, Tora!”

“Did I tell you to call me that?”

“Oh god,” she moaned again, her back arching, hips trying to move backwards when she felt one of his thick fingers moving over the thin scrap of lace between her legs. He could feel her wet, he could feel how wet she was, she just knew it! He had to know how wet she was!

“Please!”

“Please! Doctor!”

“Please what?” he growled as he continued to tease her, sliding over the lace. It was so thin that he could feel her nether lips—warm and tingly—escaping around the side of it. He ran the tip of his finger down on each side, feeling how her body did small jerks...

“Touch me! Touch me!”

“But why should I? You’ve been a bad girl, a bad nurse...”

“NO! I’ll be good, but please! Touch me. Oh god...” Poppy was panting. That’s how much he was making her lose her mind. How did this game that she had started ended up like this? She wanted his finger inside her, moving over and under her, but he just kept teasing her, teasing the sides, stroking around everywhere but where she wanted him to go. “Please!”

“What?” Tora watched her body, watched her face. He moved his hand away from between her legs and took the ‘T’ part of her thong, lifting it from her body so that the middle layer between her legs dragged against her most sensitive parts. From what he could see between her bottom, it was splitting her pink pussy with the lace. She moaned, arching even further as her fingertips pinched her nipples.

“Fuck.”

He dragged her back to his dick, giving her a second before he pulled her down, having her take him into her hot mouth. He didn’t want to be too rough, not too rough, but it was inevitable. She was just too fucking hot for him.

“Open wider, get ready.”

She whimpered as she dropped one hand to his thigh, holding tightly. He got to his feet, shuffling her backwards a bit so he could have a spot to stand up right. With both hands in her hair, he started moving his hips against her face, slowly thrusting so she wouldn’t choke or gag too much. She opened her eyes and tried to stare up at him, her lips suctioning, her tongue trying to lick and trace any and every part of his cock moving inside her.

O.M. G. If Erdene could see me now... She would probably lose her shit.

Poppy studied Tora’s face as he increased his pace, beginning to thrust his hips quicker. He was breathing hard, teeth gritted and sweat pooling on his forehead and on his chest.

“Yes, yes, yes...” It was like a mantra. He was far too gone to stop now. He couldn’t stop now. He didn’t want to stop now.

But he knew he couldn’t fuck her too roughly without hurting her. She was too nice for him to do this to her.

“Poppy, you gotta get up now,” he said urgently because he was definitely feeling it. He was come in her mouth if she didn’t move off him.

She responded by holding on to his thighs and increasing her head bobs on to his erection. She had started this, and she was going to finish it.

“Ah! Poppy, I’m going to cum inside your mouth if you don’t move off me!” he gasped as he loosened his hold on her hair because he knew he would be a dick and pull her straight into his hard cock and shove himself down her throat if he didn’t.

She used one of her hands to play and pull on his sac below and one hand to pump him as she bobbed her head. She licked, she sucked, she’d inhale him into herself if she could. Eyes on his, she saw him lusty for her and was that…

Tenderness?

“Poppy…”

She blinked up at him before she relaxed her throat and started pushing herself further down on to his cock, trying to take him further down her throat. When he groaned, she felt the vibrations down her throat. She took one of his hands and led it back to her hair, shooting him a look before his eyes darkened in understanding of what she wanted him to do.

“Poppy…”

She sucked him hard and he nodded before putting his other hand on her head again as well.

Tora began moving his hips again, he tried to keep her head from moving so he could be the one controlling the depth of his thrusts. He stared down at his Poppy as her lips stretched and she tried to relax her mouth and jaw for him. He was breathing hard, his heart pounding, as he watched the way his cock disappeared down her mouth. His hands moved to cup her face, making her look up at him, and he tapped her jaw softly letting him what he was going to do.

With a deep breath, she relaxed her jaw, her throat the best she could, and he pushed his hips forward, feeling the way that her throat stretched and took him in. He swallowed hard before pulling back, giving her space to breathe and repeating the process again. They did this a couple times before he started pushing quicker, but not as deep. He was going to come, and he was going to come deep inside her mouth.

Panting hard, he said to her, “Sweetheart, I’m going to come. If you don’t want this, tell me now before I come inside that beautiful mouth of yours.”

And exactly like he had thought, she held on tighter to his thighs as he started fucking her face a little harder, not allowing her to take him down her throat entirely, but not letting her pull away. Finally, when he started moaning, he tapped her cheek again and he pushed deep, feeling himself hit the back of her mouth before he came hard, legs shaking, back burning, spilling hot and wet inside her mouth and down her throat.

Eyes watering, she held on to him still, trying to suck on him, feeling him pulse and twitch until he was done. And then, when she felt that he was finally done, she stared straight at him and swallowed.

“Oh, fuck, fuck!” He groaned before pulling her off of him and lifting her to her feet. She licked her lips and was about to say something before he pulled her to him and took her mouth in a hot kiss.

“Tora!... I just… swallowed… your…”

“It’s alright, love. It’s okay. Let’s take that dress off of you!” he said as he continued to kiss her hotly. He dipped his tongue into mouth seeking her tongue and when he found it, he could taste himself on her. She threw her arms around him, pressing herself against him, as he continued his onslaught on her lips.

“Tora!”

“Baby... sweetheart... Jesus!... Shit. You really shouldn’t let me do that to you!” Tora said urgently as he cradled her face in his still shaking hands and tilted her back so she would look at him. His eyes were back to their tender golden color and he looked worried. He was still flushed from coming down hard and probably embarrassment. She made him feel all sorts of things that he normally wouldn’t feel for another person. And the way that her mouth had moved on him still made him blush like a teenage boy.

“Oh god... Tora, Tora, are you okay?” He was worrying her now. She really hoped he wouldn’t start crying...

“I’m good, baby,” he said as he enveloped her in his arms again. He let his face drop to the curve of her neck as he held her tight and breathed in that soft, flowery smell of her perfume and the sweet shampoo she used. If he didn’t hug her, she’d disappear again... shit.

“Not that I'm complaining or anything,” she started, and he pulled back to look at her. He took in her flushing face and her pouty red, bruised lips. “But I should probably go clean up before I drip on your, err, floor.” She dropped her gaze to the floor, the red tint of her cheeks deepening.

Tora grinned. “I think I have something better for you,” he said, and she looked up at him. Her eyes widened when she realized what he meant to do...

“Oh... wait a minute now!” she said quickly as she took a step back from him. She was way too sensitive for this and she was sure she’d come just from watching groaning and coming above her earlier.

“No, no, little Poppylan, it’s my turn now,” he stated and gave her a roughish grin that had her heart hammering double time in her chest. He laughed at the squeal she let out when he reached over and dragged her black slip down her thighs to the floor. It pooled around her feet as she stared at him like a deer in the headlights. She fought back the urge to start laughing nervously or to just run.

“Tora...”

“Come here, sweetheart.” She yelped in laughter when he just lifted her and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She wasn’t sure where to hang on to considering he was naked, and even though she was hanging upside down and getting a little dizzy, she did not mind having his tight butt within her reach. She gave him a pinch. Only to have him return it, making her jump.

“Hey!”

“Behave yourself,” he chuckled, and she settled for just giving it a nice pat here and there.

Tora took carried her upstairs and to his room, pausing to look at her with shining and appreciative eyes when he placed her on top of his bed.

“Tora?”

“Take that bra off, Poppy. It’s of no use if it’s just hanging around your chest like that.” Poppy rolled her eyes at him as she reached behind to snap it off. She bit her lips nervously when she looked back at him and found him moving his hand over himself.

Welp, he was happy to see her again.

“And turn around,” he said, and she snapped his eyes to him in confusion. He did a little circular motion with his finger. “On your hands and knees.”

“Oh.”

Poppy’s stomach fluttered nervously. How many times had he gone down on her before? Tons, but this felt different somehow. Was it because it had been a while since they had been together? If this was what make-up sex entailed, then she was going to make sure to keep him in the doghouse often. Jeez...

She glanced back at him over her shoulder and saw his eyeing her bottom happily, so she gave him a little wiggle.

“Like what you see?”

“You know I do.” He walked over to her, taking hold on her thong and pulling her backwards so she was closer to the edge of the bed. “Chest down, pressed to the mattress, butt up,” he instructed her as he pushed her back between her shoulder blades down. She shivered in excitement as she felt her nipples rub against his sheets.

She moaned loudly when she felt him touching her between her legs, and complied when he tapped at her thighs to spread them further...

“Oh, god... Tora!”

“Wow. You are wet.” _He sounds way too pleased with himself_ , Poppy thought. He took in the drenched lace between her thighs and the way her pink folds were barely covered at all in between. The scrap of clothing did nothing more than tease instead of cover. Tora ran a finger down from the middle of her legs to the front where he knew her little button was probably aching for a touch. And he was right because as soon as his finger reached its destination, Poppy arched her back and moaned.

That was it, there was no more time for this. He wanted this and he’d wanted this for a while, and now that he had her here, he was not about to let her go. Tora moved the scrap of lace aside and dove in literally face first, groaning himself when his tongue touched her hot and slippery pussy. She gave a short gasp and tried to push back against him. He grabbed hold of her hips and held her in place so she wouldn’t wiggle away as he pressed his tongue to that little gasping hole that called for his attention. He knew he was doing something right when she whimpered throatily and her body sagged, his tongue coated with warm juice...

“Tora, please...”

“Just hold on a moment. I had to wait for you before, now you wait for me.”

“I c-can't. Tora!”

“Yes, you can,” he urged and spread her rounded globes with his hands. “And you will.”

“Ah!” She tried to calm herself, but it was so hard with his tongue doing things to her. This was crazy, this was different, and she couldn’t help but feel so exposed as his hands held her split open to his perusal and attack.

Tora pressed his tongue to that sensitive spot right under her pussy and flicked it there, watching her twitch and try to push back again. He leaned over her, telling her to look at him, and when she did, he motioned for her to take his finger into her mouth. Satisfied with that, he pulled his hand back and pressed it to her pussy, feeling the way it tightened up around him, squeezing him hotly.

“YESSS!” Poppy hissed, her head thrown back, eyes closed. “Do it again!”

He did, pulling his finger back and sinking it down again into her. He would never get tired of the way that she felt around him—on his tongue, on his finger, around his cock as he pounded into her. He thought about that first time he’d gone into her and the way she felt...

She'd cried out happily when he’d first stuck in one finger, but by the time he’d put in the second finger she was clenching tightly around them. She’d been so tight that he had tried to put in a third finger but had to stop because he didn’t want to hurt her. Then, he’d flipped her over on to her stomach like she was now and...

Tora gave her cheek a quick slap with his hand, and she moaned again, looking at him over her shoulder once more.

He had spanked her again before thrusting home, making her whimper and moan and try to slam back against him, and he’d known that there was no one else he would want to see like that beneath him ever again.

“Tora, please!”

Her shaky voice brought him out of his reverie as he looked back at her. She was watching him with wide eyes, cheeks still flushed as she breathed hard. He caught sight of her breasts peeking him around her shoulder as she twisted.

“Head down, Poppy. Come on, put those shoulders down and keep your hips up,” Tora instructed her as she followed his directions. He went back to teasing her with his mouth, making sure he licked every single drop of her from her puffy lips. He started fucking her with his finger again, loving every clench, every sigh she made, and quickly added a second finger again, his mouth never straying from her pussy.

When he felt her body tremble and her legs trying to give out from under her, her breathing coming in short little pants, he shoved that third finger inside her and watched her come apart; Thighs trembling, moaning shakily, mumbling nonsense, Poppy felt her body hot and heavy, too heavy and limp as a noodle, drop to the mattress. She couldn’t take it anymore, too sensitive, too sensitive... She tried to wiggle her hips away from his lips but Tora kept up at it, sucking, licking, dipping his tongue inside her, biting softly at the sensitive lips and hard little bundle of nerves at the junction of her pussy.

“Tora, Tora, To-ra!” she whimpered, her hands grasping and clenching at the sheets beneath her. Too hot, too hot, too hot. Shit, her ears were ringing. “TORA!” she gasped in surprise when his tongue got way too close to somewhere else that she wasn’t so sure...

“I’m want to fuck you.”

Poppy nodded her head.

“I’m going to fuck you.”

Poppy wailed softly... Her face pressed into the pillows. He came up behind her, crawling into the bed as well, between her thighs. He spread her legs out even further and pressed her hips down as he took himself into his hand and rubbed himself against her.

“I’ve missed you. I’ve missed you so much.” He rasped as he moved the lace to the side again and continued to rub her with his cock. She was way too weak, her ears still ringing to push him away. He could pound her into the mattress for all she cared, and she wouldn’t say a single thing. He pressed his thumb down and around the corner of her pussy, enjoying the way that she pulsed, twitched with his every touch. “I’ve _needed_ you.”

Her only response was a weak, little moan.

“Shit!”

Tora spread her out as far as he could to accommodate for his hips and then some. With his hands, he took in her rounded cheeks, with the pink handprints where he’d spanked her earlier, as he spread her to his gaze. In a moment of weakness, he let his cock press against her as he rubbed himself against her lips, enjoying the way that it made him glisten from all her juices. He pressed her cheeks around his cock as he continued to rub and thrust against her, just as he would on any other day between her breasts.

When he’d had enough of that, he angled her hips up a little higher and placing a hand on her back, he pressed her head down. Yeesss...

He pressed home in one slow push, his eyes nearly rolling back in his head at the delicious feel of her surrounding heat. He let his hips sink deeper, enjoying the feel of her butt against his stomach, and stopped when he bottomed out.

“Oh my god...” Poppy was panting again, her hands on the sheets still clenching them. “You feel so good...” she gasped as she looked at him from her place on his pillows. He was so big, so broad shouldered, so strong and heavy on her, and she loved every single second of it. She had never imagined just how good it would feel to be stretched around him, the feeling of being stuffed.

“It’s going to be rough...” Tora warned her as he kneeled between her thighs, bodies still attached in the middle.

“I don’t care. I don’t care... Just... Oh, jeez! Fuck me...”

Tora growled at that because he really, really, really loved the sound of that.

.

 **Fuck** , fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK.

Tora raised his hips and groaned at the drag of his cock against Poppy’s walls. She was clamping up again, her breathing was still harsh, and he knew she was on the verge again.

He wasn’t going to last long, that much he knew. He'd been so stressed, so angry, so lonely, so damn fucking needy for her and it felt like an eternity since they’d last been together. He pushed right back in again, probably a little too hard, but he didn’t care anymore, and he doubted she cared either. After all, he’d asked for him to fuck her, so he was going to.

He dropped his hands to her hips as he started moving against her, listening to the way her breathing increased ever so slightly. She managed to raise herself onto her elbows and she continued to look at him over her shoulder. The way that her breasts were rubbing against the sheets with every push he gave her only managed to make her already sensitive nipples even more so. She could hear the harsh sound of her breathing and the sharp exhales with every hard thrust of his body. His large, tanned hands were planted firmly on her hips clenching and unclenching them as he moved hard over her.

“You feel so good. So... damn... good!” he groaned against her with hard thrust of his hips. She simply nodded and tried to push back against him, but he way he held her was meant to keep her in place and she really wasn’t able to move.

He leaned over her, over her back as he continued to push, his breathing harsh against her ears, making her shiver when she felt his mouth hot on her neck. “You’re so tight... So hot... I love the way you feel around my cock...” She moaned when he sucked on her neck and she was sure that was going to leave a mark. “I love the sounds you make...” He gave her a couple hard pushes to make his point. “The way you make those sweet little moans and groans...”

She was so ready, so ready, fuck, he was winding her up so nicely, so tightly, Poppy could feel her stomach clenching, could feel that pulsing inside of her every time he pushed and withdrew, pushed and withdrew, the head of hic cock dragging, scratching at the delicious itch he’d built inside her. But she needed more. Oh, god! She needed more.

“Please! Tora, more! Harder! Harder!” she gasped as he turned his face to hers and took her mouth in a kiss.

“Alright.”

He pulled back, settling back onto his knees as he took her by her shoulders and pulled her up towards his body. She reached behind her head to hold him, Tora leaning over her, catching her mouth into another wet, hot kiss. He plunged inside, tasting her with his tongue, enjoying the feel of her tongue against his as they fought for dominance. He spread her legs over his as he settled her over his lap and pressed her down onto his wet cock.

“Yes!” she tightened her hold on his neck as he moved her up and down on himself. “Oh, fuck! Oh, gah!... Yes, yes! Tora!” she whimpered, and he moved his hands to her breasts, to squeeze and caress her, enjoying the way they swayed every time he pounded from below.

He held her breasts from the underside as if weighing them and pinched her nipples between his thumbs and index fingers, feeling her wet walls squeeze around him in return. He dropped her to her knees again, following her down as he continued to pound behind her.

“Yes, yes. Take it! Take it!” he grunted and panted as he placed his hands around her waist and pulled her to him. Shit, he was losing it. He could hear the hard slap of their bodies as they came together, push and pull. He reached out and wrapped her tangled brunette waves in his hand and yanked back, earning a gasp followed by a loud moan.

Poppy pushed herself hard against his thrusts, the ache for release overwhelming the sharp sting of her scalp that had brought tears to her eyes.

It felt so good.

He had never been like this with her before.

“Harder, harder!” she panted shamelessly, completely overwhelmed herself, all sense of propriety forgotten. She laughed excitedly when one of his hands came around her throat... her eyes widening when he gave her a soft squeeze. That was all it took.

Shit.

She was insane. Completely and utterly insane.

She came hard, crying out, and tightening around him. She dropped her hand between her thighs and rubbed quickly at her little clit, urging her orgasm to continue, her body shaking as Tora growled and yanked on her hair harder, the hand around her neck dropping to squeeze her breast again.

He pinched at her nipples, pulled, molded as he pounded from behind.

Forget being too rough with her.

He let his weight drop onto her, sweaty and heavy, as he pounded at her quickly. This was beyond fucking, this was plain out rut. He let go of her hair and reached for her hands, pulling them above her head as he squeezed her wrists and slammed his hips into hers, the firm weight of her bottom providing that lovely cushion he so enjoyed about her.

“Yes, yes... Fuck yes!... Poppy, Poppy, Poppy!” he rasped against her ear as he continued to move, his rhythm long forgotten as he raced to reach that winning line...

“Tora! Tora! Tora!” she gasped under him.

“Yes! Oh, fuck!” he groaned when he felt that sharp pull on his cock, his balls squeezing everything he had for her until he finally came inside her, spurting his seed against her walls. “Oh... shit.” He felt his body trembling as he slumped against her. Realizing that he was bigger and heavier than her, he rolled off her and to the side next to her...

.

 **Eyes** closed, Tora laid there next to Poppy on the bed.

All he could hear was the ringing in his ears, the pounding of his heart, and their harsh breathing. He was so... worn out, hot, weak, he didn’t think he could move ever again.

He opened his eyes and turned to look at Poppy who was still on her stomach, face half hidden by the pillow. Her hair was stuck to her forehead and back from how sweaty she was.

“Poppy?”

She moaned, still not opening her eyes or moving.

He tried to lift a hand to move her hair out of her face and... couldn’t. His limbs felt like noodles. He started laughing at the craziness of it all, and that finally got her to open her eyes and look at him.

“What?”

“I can’t move,” he said with a large grin. His own hair was stuck to his forehead and a tangled mess around himself. Not that he minded in the least. It just meant that a shower was in order in a couple minutes.

She grinned and shut her eyes again.

“Tell me about it. My ears are ringing, and I think I passed out for a couple of seconds...”

Tora sighed and stared back up at the ceiling.

“So...”

“So?”

“So, what are we going to do?”

“Sleeping sounds like a good plan,” Poppy replied as she cuddled deeper into the pillow. “Wake me up when September ends,” she giggled to herself and Tora scoffed from next to her.

“Yes, of course, _Bobby_ Joe Armstrong,” he chuckled as he looked at her. He studied her, with pink cheeks, her tangled hair, the pink mark on her neck from where he’d sucked at her. He grinned at that, pleased with himself and didn’t tell her anything. She would see it tomorrow when it was darker. “Poppy?”

“Hmm.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. There were some small tears clinging to her lashes from when he’d yanked on her hair. He winced at that when he remembered it and flipped over on his side to face her. He wiped at the tear stains on her cheek with his thumb.

“Did I hurt you?”

Poppy stared back at him, her face heating up once more before she answered. “No. I... It was... _VERY_ good.”

“I’m glad.” He noticed the red marks on her hips from where he had been squeezing her as he pounded into her. Those would definitely turn into bruises. Jesus! Was he an animal!? Her skin was delicate, and he’d left his mark on her. She didn’t seem to mind it, but he was sure she was going to be sore as hell later, and especially tomorrow morning.

“What’s with that face?” she asked him when she saw him scowling. “Tora?”

“I’ve left bruises on you. Your hips and waist... They're going to be bruised by tomorrow.” He looked away, back at the ceiling. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Well, I know who came over me, and I'm okay.” Poppy grinned widely at Tora who stared blankly at her before smirking.

“Wow.”

“That’s what I'm thinking, too. WOW.” Poppy reached up and moved his hair out of his face and tucked it behind his ear. “I’m not complaining. I’m fine. I think... I think we both were desperate and needing that.”

“Hmm.”

“So, what’s going to happen between us now?”

“Whatever... needs to happen?”

Tora said nothing for a moment, just continued to stare at her. She was so beautiful, his Poppylan. He didn’t know what to do without her.

“I’ve missed you so bad,” he confessed as he stared into her eyes—golden versus caramel—and watched her smile sadly before nodding at him. “I’ve hated every single moment that I've had to stay away from you. I don’t like pretending that you’re not important to me when you’re literally all I can think of.”

Poppy gasped and looked away. Heart pounding, she mused on those words.

“I am so sorry for everything. I’ve acted rashly, very much like a child,” she started before looking back at him. “I m-missed you, too.”

Tora nodded and moved closer to her, so he could throw his arm around her waist.

“Why did you sic Candy on me?”

Poppy frowned. “Sic? I haven’t sic'd... Oh, you mean... I never told her to go ask you out. That idea was out of her own volition. That girl has had the hots for you since she first saw you.” Tora blushed at that and frowned.

“I... don’t feel that same way about her. No, thanks.” He looked so flustered it made Poppy smile.

“Did you tell on her?”

“No! I know I can be hard sometimes, but I'm not a complete asshole,” he said defensively. Poppy touched his cheek softly.

“I know. She just got moved so suddenly, it was strange. I hadn’t noticed until one day and Erdene was the one who told me she’d moved floors.”

“Good for her,” Tora mumbled, but Poppy could tell he was just happy to be rid of the girl. He pulled her closer to his body, so she had to roll on her side and rest her head on his shoulder. “I don’t want us to be mad at each other. It worries me.”

“Worry you how?” she asked with a frown.

“Worries me that you’ll find someone nicer to hang out with and forget about me.” Tora mumbled as he squeezed his hands on her bottom. She ignored the new tingles between her legs at that. “Like that Claude guy that looked like he was ready to eat you up. I don’t like him." Tora sighed and flipped onto his back, throwing his free arm over his eyes. “You’re my Poppy, my nurse. There are tons of other nurses in that hospital that _Claude_ can go for. Not you.”

Poppy didn’t know what to say. She knew what she was feeling, and it was giddiness at his confession. She knew he was different, but a little dark part of her kept telling her that he was too good for her, and it scared her. It worried her that he would change his mind and leave her broken.

“You doubt my words, don’t you?” he asked, and she glanced back at him. “Those little cogs inside your head are turning, overthinking about all the horrible things I could possibly do to you. Poppy, I like you. I love spending time with you. Heck, I even like watching Netflix now. You're funny, you’re smart, you just understand me. I love looking at you... I want to keep spending time with you. Only you. Please... just... I wish you understood that.”

“I do understand what you mean. It’s just my... self-doubt coming back at me and saying it’s going to end up bad. I want to be with you and just be...happy.”

“Then be happy. With _me_. I want to be happy with _you_.” Tora sighed and stared into space. “You make me happy. After those long days in the hospital, coming home and knowing that I'll get to see you soothes me.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Poppy sighed and hugged him. “I want to be happy with you, too.”

“Are you going to run away again and be acting all funky?” Tora groused and she scowled at him.

“I wasn’t acting funky... Was I?”

“A little.”

“I’m sorry,” Poppy said softly. “I just get all... Flustered at the fact that you could be interested in me. I’m just... me.”

“And that’s why I like you,” Tora said with a soft smile. “Come here. Let’s talk about this later after sleep. I’m exhausted, I don’t know about you.”

“I took my naps in between bouts of passing out,” Poppy grinned, making Tora scoff.

“That’s not sleep. Now, go to sleep woman. We can talk about this properly tomorrow, over breakfast. But right now, sleep.”

Poppy laid her arm around his waist, enjoying the now calm rise and fall of his chest as he relaxed. He ended up passing out quickly and she got a chance to study his face, his features, those beautiful lashes of his...

With a smile, she rested her head on his arm and fell asleep as well.

.

“ _Hey_ , Poppy?”

“Hmm?”

Poppy laid on her side, facing away from Tora, when she heard someone calling her. She thought she was dreaming and didn’t respond beyond the ‘Hmm’.

“Poppy...”

She groaned softly when she felt something nuzzling her neck, something hard and warm was crawling its way across her waist to her stomach. She felt the soft caress over her breast and something rub her nipple.

What the...?

She blinked her eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness, and she frowned in confusion when a hand slipped between her legs to touch her there.

“Mmm...”

“Are you awake now?” OH. That’s right, she was with Tora. Poppy smiled and turned over on to her back.

“Good morning?”

“Not quite yet,” he said as he leaned down to take her mouth into a kiss. She sighed contently into his mouth, arms reaching to cradle his head. Lips left hers and started a trail down her neck, her collarbone, to land at her breasts, nuzzling. She sighed again, back arching slightly when his lips closed around a nipple, sucking it into his mouth, tongue molding it.

“It feels like a good morning,” she murmured, her hands caressing his scalp as she held him at her chest. He lifted his head and came back up to kiss her, taking her lower lip into his mouth in a small bite and tug.

“I need you... But I didn’t want to be an animal and just plow into you while you were sleeping.” Poppy smiled at him, arms going around his neck to hold him.

“I’m awake now...”

“Are you sore?”

“I don’t think so.” Poppy spread her legs in invitation and grinned when Tora quickly moved over her. “Well, I'm awake now... So...”

“My pleasure,” he murmured against her mouth as he sunk into her. She threw her legs around his hips as best as she could and held on for dear life. It was quick this time, and soon she found herself gasping and crying out as she came around him. She heard his deep groan by her ear when he came as well, thrusting deep inside one more time before he spilled.

With a gasp, he rolled over again, pulling her over to rest on his arm.

“Thanks, love,” he said with a satisfied sigh and soon were both fast asleep again.

She didn’t wake up until the smell of waffles and her phone going off brought her out of her dreams.

.

**DING.**

**DING.**

**DING. DING. DING.**

**DING.**

**Poppy** opened her eyes at the sound of her phone going off and new message alerts sounding off. Yawning widely, she sat up as she pulled the sheets around her breasts. She smiled warmly when she realized that she was still in Tora’s bedroom, in Tora’s bed, wrapped in his navy-blue sheets.

**DING!**

“Oh, right.” She reached over to the bedside table and grabbed her phone.

There were twenty-three unread messages from Erdene, five more an unknown number and one from Claude.

**POPPY, ARE YOU OKAY?**

**POPPY, WHERE ARE YOU?**

**POPPY, POPPY, POPPY, POPPPPPYLAN WILKES**

**HELLO?**

**HELLO?**

**Hello? 0-0**

**ARE YOU GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY WITH THE DOC? IS THAT WHY YOU’RE NOT ANSWERING? OK. IN THAT CASE, I’LL LET IT PASS.**

Poppy had to laugh at that. Erdene, Erdene… Of course, that would be her first guess.

**DID YOU GET SICK AND IS HE CHECKING YOUR TEMPERATURE?**

**WITH HIS THERMOMETER? *WINKWINK***

I’m fine, I’m still alive’, she responded before taking a look at the other messages.

The one from Claude read: **Hope you made it home safely. Text me when you can.**

She sent a quick ‘home safe. Thanks.’

The other five unknown turned out to be from Quincey…

**Hey, Erdene was worried about you?**

**I told her you were fine, if you were with Tora.**

**Be safe kids. No babies soon, ok**

**I’m too young to be an uncle :C**

**Oh. Tora said you’re still alive. Ok. Good. Ttyl.**

Poppy laughed at that. With a sigh, she climbed out of bed and stared at the bottom corner where Tora had left her one of his giant t-shirts… And one of her underwear? When had she left that behind?

She made her way over to the shower, a bounce in her step, for once feeling good about herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies, ladies, gentlemen, gentlefolks, everyone. 
> 
> I am still alive. Here's the awaited chapter after last time's horrible cliffhanger. I hope y'all like it. It took me a while to type it up with one hand. I'll review eventually for mistakes when I have the time.
> 
> Hope y'all are still healthy and safe 👏❤


	8. *  SHORT ANNOUNCEMENT *

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little announcement here.....

Hello, everyone. Just stopping by to give you guys an update of whats going with this story.  
Well, for one, it might be longer for a new update. I've been dead on my feet with work... and to be honest, not doing that great mentally wise.

I met someone. But apparently, things don't work out the way they do, so... that didn't work out. I see where he's coming from.... but ... not emotionally well to focus on things right now.

It kinda sucks when they tell you that "you're fun, you're sexy, you're an absolutely beautiful person and hardworking, but ..." apparently I'm too emotional. Whatever.

I'll take my family any day of the week over a guy.

Sorry for the sob story. Hope you guys are doing well, and I'll try to get something for you guys maybe next week.

~~ Nurse Amethyst


	9. the rumor mill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumor mill, jealous nurses and a little bit of Vincent. ..  
> ....  
> All characters belong to Lilydusk for her Webcomic "Midnight Poppy Land." Any, if any, similarities are purely coincidental

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TIGHTROPE- LP 
> 
> LOST ON YOU- LP 
> 
> SHE’S CASUAL- The Hunna 
> 
> HEATHENS- Twenty-One Pilots

...

** After  ** a nice hot shower that helped soothe her aching muscles, Poppy changed into one of Tora’s t-shirts and into that one clean pair of underwear that  she’d left sometime before.

She dried her hair as best as she could and  since she  couldn’t find a hairbrush, and felt a little strange digging through his cabinets, she left her hair without brushing. She followed her nose downstairs to the kitchen where she found Tora standing at the stove cooking breakfast. 

“Good morning.”

He glanced back at her, his face brightening up as he shot her a warm smile.

“Morning. How did you sleep?”

“Like I was hit by a train,” Poppy said, blushing slightly when he smirked before turning back to the eggs he was cooking. “I blame you.”

“You didn’t complain last night, though.” He shut off the stove as he moved the pan out of the  way. He handed her a plate with food as she went to sit  on one of the counter stools.

“No, I suppose not. Thanks for the food,” she replied with a smile as she dug into her eggs. “ I’ve been meaning to tell you, your cooking has gotten so much better than the first time you made me breakfast.” She grinned at the  scowl that covered his face.

“ Well, it’s called practice and you being so damn bossy, telling me how to do things around the kitchen.”

“I call it  _ encouragement _ .”

“I call it  _ bossy _ . It’s a nurse thing.”

“Alright .  Well, whatever it is, it worked, didn’t it? These eggs are delicious.”

“It’s just scrambled eggs,”  muttered Tora. Even though he made it seem like it  wasn’t a big deal, Poppy knew that the man was  liking the comments. Though he tried to not look super pleased with himself, she still the caught the little tug of a smile at the corner of his mouth, and the faint blush before he turned back to the stove to pull  some waffles for her.

He got his own plate of food and took a seat across from her at the counter. 

He tried not to think about last night, early this morning, and everything in between that had happened between them, but there were questions in his head that needed answers.  He’d never  dealt with anxiety, but wondering whether Poppy would decide to  leave him either way, no matter what had been said last night, had him in a panic. 

He watched her from behind the  inky waterfall of his hair as she ate her breakfast happily,  a healthy pink flush over her cheeks. She reminded him of a hamster. Ha.

She was pretty. Who was he kidding? She was fucking beautiful to him.

Her brunette hair that fell in waves around her shoulders, those big expressive eyes of hers, those pink and pouty lips of hers… He blinked when she looked up and found him staring at her.

Her blush deepened and he could tell she became self-conscious because a hand rose to her hair as she pulled her hair back behind one ear.

“What’s wrong? I know my hair is crazy. I didn’t want to  rummage through your drawers, so I didn’t brush it…” she explained as she watched him  watching her intently. He  hadn’t tied back his hair this morning either and it fell around his shoulders as well.  His golden eyes studied her intently and she  couldn’t help but  squirm in her seat under his gaze. “Uh.”

“Nothing is wrong. I was just admiring the view.”

Poppy blinked before dropping her gaze shyly back to the plate in front of her. He could see her smiling.

“I’m not lying, I was admiring the view. You seem in good spirits this morning, Bobby.”

Her eyes lifted to look at him at the mention of the nickname.

“I  _ am _ in good spirits. You look good as well. I mean, you always look good, just today you look better. I mean. Shoot. You know what I mean!” she laughed with a wave of her hand.

He chuckled at that.  “It’s what a good bout of make-up sex does to you…” He intentionally left that statement open hoping that  she’d catch his drift and that they would talk about their relationship.  Fuck trying to keep it on the down-low. The time that  he’d been away from her had been the most  difficult thing to happen to him. He wanted to talk about a  _ real _ relationship now, not a hidden one, not one where their status was nothing more than just  _ fuck- _ _ buddies _ . 

“Ah.” Poppy nodded slowly before looking away for a moment, then looking back at him. “So... Now,  we’ve made up again. Where do we go from here?”

Tora continued to look at her for a minute longer while she sat there just waiting.

“I want us in a relationship.”

.

** “I ** want us in a relationship,” Tora  stated as he rested his cheek on his hand and stared at his beautiful Poppy. “I  know for a fact that is what messed us up the first time around. I had this idea in my head that we were doing fine, and just... assumed that you and I were on the same train of thought. I  shouldn’t have assumed that you had the same idea.  I’m sorry that you thought I  didn’t care about you, I do. Believe me, I do.”

“I care about you, too,” Poppy agreed with a nod. 

“Why didn’t you say anything about it? You know, I would listen to you.”

Poppy dropped her gaze as she blushed. “I didn’t want to get my hopes high that it was more than just sleeping together... You’re way too... good-looking to be with someone like me and—”

“Poppylan,” Tora cut her off with a shake of his head. “Have you looked in the mirror lately? Anyone in their right mind would agree with me that you’re beautiful.”

“I...” She nodded. There was no  reason why she should keep telling him he was wrong. If that was how he felt about her, then so be it. It all just felt like a dream, a dream from which she  didn’t want to wake up from. It was just... too good. “Thank you.”

“I’m being honest. You are. But  it’s not only superficial for me,  you’re a beautiful person on the inside as well. I  don’t want to keep hiding us from everyone else. I’m not ashamed of you, I want to show you off.”

Poppy grinned and nodded. “You do know that there are rules in place for personal relationships in the workplace, right? I  don’t want either one of us to get into trouble because of it. I know what you mean, I just... It also always comes back to down the nurse and how she is professional or not.” That last part was said with a sigh. “I’ve worked too hard to lose this job, or get you in trouble.”

Tora leaned over and took her hand in his. “I’d quit this job first before quitting things between us.”

“That’s a little crazy.”

“But it’s true.”

“Oh, Tora...”

“I’m not kidding.  I’m being honest. I’m getting on in my years, I just want peace and quiet in my constantly hectic life.” He motioned for her to come over to his side, and when she did, he pulled her into the curve of his body. With his chin resting on her head and his arms around her waist, he held her and breathed. “Whenever  I'm around you, everything  just seems to be calm and peaceful. I felt so lost without you.”

She looked up at him and brought her hand to rest on his cheek.

“You’re so different. Maybe everything feels too good to be true because my past relationship was so crappy.”

“The guy who let you go is an absolute idiot,” Tora pointed out with a crooked grin as he squeezed her to himself. “If you let me, I promised I’ll hang around until you get tired of me.”

Poppy smiled warmly, feeling her eyes get teary and she pressed her face against his shirt. Would she let him? Of course. Was she scared? Definitely. There was never a guarantee that things would turn out the way you wanted them when it came to relationships, but... She was tired of being tired and afraid...

“I think that’s a great idea,” she murmured against his shirt. “You can hang out with me, and I'll do the same for you, until you get tired of me.”

“I’ll never get tired of you.”

The awkward couple hugged for another moment, until the loud growl from Poppy’s stomach broke the silence. Tora snickered at her before dropping his arms from around her and pulling his plate closed.

Despite her protests, he even managed to feed her breakfast himself.

.

** Their  ** peace only lasted for so long and chaos came a little too soon for both for them.

Although everything seemed to be going so well for them, Poppy  couldn’t help but feel that something had changed at work. Her floor coworkers were the same,  talkative and friendly with her, but for some reason, in between getting to the fourth floor from the lobby, a lot of the nurses from the lower floors seemed... not too friendly with her.

Poppy was on the elevator going up when it stopped on the second floor and two nurses she had never spoken to climbed in. One was a younger one about Poppy’s age, the other in her late thirties.

Being who she was, Poppy smiled at them and greeted them...

Only to have them stare at her.

“Uh.”  **_ Never mind _ ** , thought Poppy, when the nurses simply nodded at her and huddled together opposite from her. That was the weirdest thing that had ever occurred to her in all the time she had worked there.

She pressed the button for the fourth floor and waited quietly for the doors to shut and the elevator to start moving.

“You're Poppylan, aren’t you?”

Poppy jumped, startled, and glanced over at the nurses.

“Yes. Hello. I don’t think I've met you two before.”

“No. You haven’t,” the older nurse started before giving the other girl a glance. “But we know who  _ you  _ are.”

“Uh. Okay.” This was  way too weird for Poppy. She  couldn’t help the odd feeling of dread growing in her stomach.

The younger nurse spoke up, “I think it’s interesting how much  _ knowing  _ people on the inside helps when being hired in places.” The way she said it made Poppy frown. With a cock of her head and a confused look on her face, she looked at the girl and waited. “I guess it does work being  _ friendly  _ with people, too.”

“I’m sorry... I’m not following you on this...” Poppy started with a shake of her head. “Are you implying that I only got hired here because I  _ ‘knew’  _ someone? Because let me tell you, I was fresh out of nursing school when I applied here and got the job. Not that it should matter.”

The nurses looked at each other.

“You work around Dr.  Nishioka , don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. He was one of the main providers I was assigned to assist when I got placed.”

“I just think it’s so strange how I got moved down to the second floor about a year ago, after working with Dr.  Nishioka for about two years. No warning, just  out of the blue . Then one day, you pop out and you start working with him. What did you do, to keep working with him? Because he is a jerk to a lot of people.” The older nurse explained with a raised eyebrow. “He  can be quite  a sight to behold , hot and all, but with an attitude problem. So, what’s so special about you that he wants to keep you around?”

“I’ve heard that you’re the only nurse that he’s never had a problem with. He’s always so  _ nice  _ to you and that he lets you boss him around.”

“He  _ never  _ let me do that to him,” The older nurse explained with a  scoff .

Poppy felt herself turning all shades of  red.  “I never knew that someone else got moved before I started with him,” she explained with a frown. “I just started working with him because they put me on the fourth floor.”

“Are you sure? Because you two seemed  awfully  chummy at the club the other night,” the younger one stated. “He has never been known to date anyone from around here, and I've been working here for almost four years. Funny how you can get things by sleeping around...”

Poppy had had it. She turned to the two women, her body shaking in anger and shame.

“Excuse me, I don’t know why the hell you think it’s okay to make comments like that about me. You  don’t even know me. And sleeping around? I have never gotten anything by ‘sleeping around ’. I  don’t know what kind of person I am, but I can assure you I  don’t do that.  It’s not my fault or problem if you got moved to a different floor when I started here, I just work wherever they place me. I had never met Dr. Nishioka prior to starting here. How would I? He’s about ten years older than me!” Poppy laughed shortly. “For your information, he was also a jerk to me when I started working with him. I just so happened to do my work and not lazy around to avoid him giving me crap. For some odd reason, I think  you’re angry because you  tried something, like coming on to him, and he turned you down. Guess what? I never tried coming on to him, or any other provider or nurse on here. Maybe you should do your work so that you don’t get tossed around anymore.”

Poppy glared at them before exiting the elevator. She turned to them and shook her heads.

“Maybe instead of wandering around starting rumors, you should go back to your floor and do some work.”

The two nurses huffed at her, blushing bright red in embarrassment as well.

“ **_ Well _ ** , well, well, I must say Miss Poppy, I knew you had to be strong to work with Tora, but I guess I didn’t know just how strong you were.”

Poppy jerked back and turned to her left where a tall, blond man stood. He had a doctor’s white on with the buttons undone, and she could see that he was wearing some  dressy , expensive looking clothes.

She had never seen him before, so she assumed he oversaw another unit or something else.

“Uh, I’m sorry. I don’t think I've met you before...?” Poppy started nervously. There was something about the man that made her a little nervous. He  didn’t look too... welcoming.

“I’m Vincent Balthuman,” he started with an outstretched hand that Poppy reached for to shake. The name sounded  very familiar ... “Hospital CEO.”

Poppy  blanched , feeling stared down by the icy jade-color eyes of the older man.

“Oh.”

“ _ So _ , you work on the fourth floor?”

“Yes, sir. Fourth floor, DCU.”

Poppy sat in front of a big wooden desk in Vincent’s office on the first floor. He had asked her to follow him, that he had something to talk about with her.

She thought it was strange that the CEO wanted to speak to her. She  wasn’t in trouble, or had done anything to get herself in trouble... Right? Her hand twisted nervously on her lap as she waited for him to speak.

“How long have you known Tora for, Miss Wilkes?”

“The time that  I've been working here in the hospital, Sir. A little over a year now.” Poppy had a very horrible feeling that this had something to do with the same thing she had been arguing the nurses over.

“Never knew him from outside the hospital environment?” Vincent took his seat and pulled out a folder from his desk, placing it in front of her. She gasped when she saw the small square photo attached to the front. It was her. It was the same picture she had on her name badge, the one taken when  she’d been doing her orientation.

“Sir?” she started with a squeak. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Sir, may I ask you something?”

“You may.”

“A-am... am I getting fired?” she squeaked out and he glanced at her, coolly. It was so unnerving, sitting there under the scrutiny of a man who had the power to make, or break, her current nursing dream.

“Why do you think I would need to fire you, Miss Wilkes?”

“I’m not exactly sure, Sir.  I’ve just never been called in here, or to any other supervisor’s office for anything that  wasn’t related to evaluations. This is a first for me and  I'm not sure what to expect. Of course, being human, the worst-case scenario is always the first that comes to mind...”

Vincent chuckled, sitting back on his chair as he  observed the young nurse. She was pretty, he had to give her that, with her flowing brown hair and wide eyes. He could see what had interested Tora so much, but rules were rules, and this place was his to run. And he liked to run a tight ship.

“I’ve read over your file, Miss Wilkes, and I have to admit, I'm impressed.  There’s not a lot that impresses me,  I've been running this kind of business for many years and seen a lot of things. So, to say that  I'm impressed is a lot, believe me.” He flipped through a couple pages on her file before glancing back up at her. “But there is one thing that I am very meticulous about, and that is rules.”

Poppy’s heart was racing. She watched the older man quietly as he paused.

“And rules are meant to be followed.” He sighed and brought his hand up to his temple before pressing a finger there dramatically. He reminded her of someone, but she  couldn’t place whom... “I try to keep a friendly environment for all the employees working here, Miss Wilkes. I like to make sure everyone gets along as well as they  possibly can , that our patients get the best care possible, but has a lot of implications, too. Which means that everyone follows protocol, use their licensure to the best of their abilities, and follows the rules.”

Poppy nodded.

“Sir? But have I broken any rules that  I'm not aware of? Is that why I'm here?”

Vincent raised his brows in surprise, before cocking his head to the side.

“Have you, Miss Wilkes? Only you can tell me that. I try to be aware of everything in this place, but the hospital is quite big and there are many of you working here. I’m not  omniscient , despite the common rumor mill.”

Poppy shook her head. “I don’t think I have.  I’m always on time, always keep to protocol.  I’ve picked up extra shifts for people when  they’ve needed me to. I do re-check things twice, even thrice if  I'm not sure.  I've never received any complaints from my charge nurses nor any other supervisor. I think  it’s safe to say that  I'm quite likeable to the patients  I've had under my care, Sir. So, I must admit that this meeting with you is very... confusing and a little unnerving.”

“I do see that you’re being truthful about what you’ve explained. It's all in here,” he motioned to the file, “Praises and comments from previous patients, evaluations from your supervisors and recommendations from your charge nurses.”

“So, then...?”

“What was that little outburst with the other nurses from the elevator?”

“Oh.” Poppy felt her stomach drop and her face heat up. She was sure he could hear the loud pounding of his heart from where he sat. “I was in the elevator going up to the fourth floor when they got in on the second. They were okay for a moment before they started asking me who I was, how I knew Dr.  Nishioka , and started making some odd comments about me... About my  _ relationship  _ with him. To be honest, it upset me that they were insinuation that the reason I got this job was because I had... Oh! I don’t know,  _ slept  _ with someone to get it.” Poppy groaned and brought her hands up to her face in embarrassment.

“So let them say what they want then. If you know  it’s not true, then  it’s not something that you need to be worried about. There are many types of nurses, and not all of them are friendly.  With that being said, what I mentioned before about me wanting to make this a friendly working environment,  I'm sure  you’ve realized by now that things never works out how you want them to. Those nurses for example. The rumor mill in this place, and many other places of similar work, is always going to exist.”

“I understand, Sir. It just made me angry.” She dropped her gaze and stared at the floor, the white scratch on her black  Danskos . “I would never sleep with anyone to gain a position.”

“Well! That just makes this meeting so much easier,” Vincent said with a clap, startling Poppy out of her reverie. 

“What do—”

“Miss Wilkes, it has come to my attention that one of your Charge Nurses has recommended you for a Charge position.” He noticed the surprised look on her face. So, she  didn’t know.

Or she was just that good at pretending.

“I... really?”

She beamed, a pink flush coming over her cheeks as she smiled widely.

So, she  didn’t know.

“Yes, Miss Wilkes. They have. However, there is one small thing that I want you to understand.”

“What is that, Sir?”

He stood up and went to stare at the window behind his desk once more. He glanced at her over his shoulder.

“Nurses and doctors are not encouraged to have hidden relationships at work, Miss Poppy.”

“Oh.”

.

** Tora  ** was on his way down to the cafeteria when he felt his phone vibrated in his pocket.

He checked and saw that it was Quincey who had texted him.

**_ HE’S GOT POPPY IN HIS OFFICE. _ **

**_ IDK WAT HE’S UP TO. _ **

**_ FYI. _ **

**_ -Q. _ **

“Fuck.”

Several nurses walking past Tora jumped at the heated curse and scampered off quickly. Sure, the man was total eye candy, but  they’d also heard he had a horrible temper.  Seeing as how heatedly he was cursing, they felt it was safer to be away from him...

Tora dialed Quincey’s number and waited.

“ ‘lo?”

“What you do mean he’s got her in his office?” Tora asked as he headed down the hall in the direction of Vincent’s office. 

“They were heading in that direction when I was coming into the building. They stepped off the elevator and he guided her that way.”

“Do you think he’s interrogating her about... about us?”

“Well... I  don’t know. Maybe?  Maybe not . Honestly, at this point in life , I  don’t know  what’s running through that man’s head. He’s still the  overbearing control freak, bipolar psycho that he was when we were kids.” Tora could hear the annoyance in Quincey’s voice.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Tora started as he sent Poppy a quick text asking her where she was. It changed to “read" but there was no response from her. “I hate the idea of Poppy hanging out alone in that lion’s den. He has the ability to chew her up and spit her right back out.”

“I want to say… Perhaps, hold tight. You never know what goes on through that man’s head. It’s probably better that you don’t go rushing into that office and confirming things he may not even be asking her right now.” Quincey sighed heavily on the other end of the line. “ I’m sure that Poppy’s smart enough to not fall into his traps.  After all, she _ must _ have some brains for you to have fallen for her. That, and some giant balls to  challenge yours.”

Tora scoffed. “Can we not bring my balls into this conversation, you closet freak?”

“In and out, honey.  You’re just jealous.  _ Le freak,  _ _ c'est _ _ chic. _ ”

“You know, I really don’t think that phrase  means what you think it means .”

“ Oui ,  oui ,”Quincey shot back in a bored sounding voice. “ It got the point through, though. Didn’t it?”

“I suppose…  Shit. Okay, well,  I guess I’ll wait for her to tell me what happened.”

“Probably for the best.”

“Yeah. Thanks, man.” Tora hung up and sent Poppy another text asking her to meet him in his office when she got a chance. 

He  couldn’t , however, shake off a strange feeling in his gut that said something was wrong.

.

Poppy  didn’t meet with Tora that afternoon.

He was so busy, he saw her running around the unit, but they never stopped to talk in between. Something was  definitely  off , he could see it in the way she smiled at everyone. She smiled happily, but... she was not happy.

Something had occurred during her meeting with Vincent.

When six in the  morning rolled around, he hurried to meet her on her way out.  She’d driven herself to work that morning so he  couldn’t give her a ride anywhere, but he made sure to catch her in the parking lot.

“Hey, Poppy!”

She was speed walking across the parking lot when he caught up to her, taking in the tired look on her face and the way her body seemed to  sag on itself a little.

“Hi Tora.”

“Hey, love.” He  didn’t kiss her, not in the parking lot where everyone could see her. As much as he wanted to do so, he still respected her concern that she could get in trouble. He gave her shoulder a little squeeze. “What’s going on?”

“I’m going  home. I’m so tired.”

“No, I mean, there’s something going on with you.  What’s wrong? I heard that you had a meeting with Vin... with Mr.  Balthuman ?”

Poppy sighed and pressed a finger to her temple. “Word gets around quickly, doesn’t it?” Vincent had been right about that at least. The rumor mill sure was something around this place. “Yes, I had a meeting with him. It was eye-opening to say the least.”

“Anything... bad?”

Poppy lifted her eyes up to his golden ones.

“Yes and no. There  were a couple good things, too.”

“But  also, bad things ?”

“Yes.”

“ Wanna talk about it? We can  go have lunch or something. I can make some breakfast.”

“Uh,  yeah .  I think we need to talk about this. It’s pretty big news.”

“Alright,  let’s head to your place. It's closer.”

“Okay, meet you there.”

They each headed to their respective cars and drove to Poppy’s apartment,  located in a tall building next to an inlet of water. Not the place he  would’ve chosen for her to live in, but at least he knew that she would be safe.

Having parked and locked their vehicles, they headed across the lot to the front door, Tora throwing his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her close to him . 

“Let me go change out of these scrubs and help you with food.”

“Can I borrow your shower  really quick? I had an extra exciting patient last night—”

“410?”

“Yes. Did you have him as your patient?”

“No, but I did end up in there at some point to help  Erdene .” Poppy led him to her bedroom where she began digging through her drawers for a change of clothes. “Why is it always 410? Have you noticed that it’s always the patients in that room that are... Oh, I don’t know, off the hook?”

“It’s cursed, I tell you,” Tora chuckled as he pulled off his scrub top. Poppy glanced over at him as she changed, noticing the way his colorful tattoos moved with his pecs. He noticed her and made a show of untying his pants and kicking them off to the side. Poppy blushed and looked away when she realized she was staring. Not that  he’d cared, but she felt silly either way.

“You’re so cute when you’re  flustered .” He snickered as he came over to stand next to her in only his boxer briefs. He planted a loud kiss on her head and squeezed her shoulders. “Care to join me in the shower?”

“We’ll never get out of there and we’ll never get to having our conversation,” Poppy pointed out with a look. He was dangerous. He made her forget things and get lost in time, it seemed. 

“Suit yourself. I’ll be out quickly.”  That’s all he said before kicking off his underwear and sashaying off to the bathroom. The man was freaking sashaying to the bathroom to shower. She shook her head before changing into her clothes and following him into the bathroom, only because she needed to wash her face and clean up before she could be fully satisfied at being home again.

She ignored the comments he made her from inside the shower stall as she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and scrubbed her hands and nails thoroughly. She left him a towel on the rack before heading back out.

“ So, what was this thing that  Balthuman wanted to talk to you about?”

They were sitting on her living room floor eating breakfast and watching some news before heading to bed.

“Well,” Poppy tried to think of the best  possible way to let him know that she had... “There is something that I have to tell you.”

“What did he do?” Immediately, she could see him tense and a dark  gleam come over his eyes. Jaw clenching, he set his plate on her coffee table and waited for her to speak.

“I... Actually, I did something.”

“Meaning?”

“I submitted my two  weeks' notice .”

“Wait what?”

Tora had been pacing around her living room for the last half hour and Poppy  didn’t know how to make him sit back down. 

“Tora, please. Listen to me. It was for the better.” She got to her feet and went to him, sliding her arms around his waist from behind as he mumbled and grumbled to himself. “You said that you’d first quit this job before quitting us, so why can’t I not do the same for you?”

Tora sighed, shoulders  drooping slightly as he stared down at her face.

“It wasn’t what I wanted for you, Bobby...”

“That makes no sense. You said—”

“I know what I said, and I meant it. I did mean it. I just didn’t want you to have to let go of your dream job for me.” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her. “I didn’t think you’d do something like that for me either.  I’m ... flattered? Shit. I don’t know what to say.”

“You said that you wanted us to try again, for real this time. It seems only right and fair. I want you. I want to you to be happy with me. I want... to be happy with you.” That last part was murmured against his shirt as she held on tightly. “Please, don’t be angry at me for that. I  didn’t have a choice. What good is having all the money in the world when you’re still not going to be happy?”

Tora pondered on that sentence for a moment, realizing that she was right. Over the years,  he’d had all the money in the world that he could  possibly wish for, but when it came down to his happiness... He  hadn’t been happy until he had met her. Strangely enough, her sass, that spark that she had about her, attracted him to her even more. She  wasn’t afraid of him, always had something to say, even if she knew that she could get in trouble, she stood her ground when it came to him.

Had he been happy?  Maybe in a way, but never in the way that he felt now being with her. It was more of being surrounded by... peace.

She was his peace on a fucking stormy day, and as cheesy as that fucking sounded, he  wasn’t willing to let her go again.

“You’re right, sweetheart.  I’m sorry. I just... felt guilty about your job. But it was your choice and I  must respect that. I’m sorry it had to come down to this...”

“I’m not sorry, though,” she started and raised her eyes to his again. “I’m not saying I'm running scared, with my tail between my legs, but I choose not to be surrounded by such negative and  demeaning people.”

“What do you mean?”

“I ran into two nurses from the second floor. They  insinuated that the only  reason why I had gotten my job was because  I'd slept with someone. They also said that the only  reason why you and I got along was because we were sleeping together. One of them had seen us at the club and I guess  she’d been spreading some rumors about me. They made me so mad!” Poppy punched Tora on the chest, pouting. Seconds later, she realized what  she’d done and turned as red as the underwear she was wearing. “Oh  fudgsicles ! Sorry! I didn’t mean to do that!”

Grinning, Tora shook his head and took her hand in his, bringing it up to his face and gave her fingers a kiss. “Better me than them, I suppose.  I’m sorry that you had to run into them. Did Vincent ask you anything about us specifically?”

“I almost crashed into him getting out of the elevator. That’s how he found me.” Poppy looked away. “He said that there were certain rules about coworkers having relationships at work. He asked me why I had that outburst with the other  nurses and I explained. He said that I was recommended by a charge nurse for a higher position, but that... that I had to understand that things would have to change between you and I.”

_ And  _ _ she’d _ _ chosen to quit her job than quit their relationship. _

Shit.

“Fuck.”

“Tora? Ah!” She squealed loudly when he leaned down, throwing his arms around her  waist, and lifted her up so he could kiss her soundly. Caught off guard, she let him kiss her, throwing her arms around his neck and holding on tight.

When he finally set her down on her feet, she stared up at him bright eyed and with a pretty flush on her cheeks. 

“What was that for?”

“You pretty little thing. What did I ever do to deserve you?” he  muttered and groaned loudly as he hugged her again. 

“Well, you don’t deserve me, I think, but I suppose I can make an exception for you—ah!” 

He gave her butt a quick pinch. “That’s for your sass. You’re getting a little bolder, little hamster.”

“I’ve always been bold, doctor. It’s just never bothered you before.”

“Hmm.  You’re right,  you’ve always been so damn sneaky, such a smart ass. How the hell did you manage to get on by acting like that without having people tell you something?”

“I’m a good kid. What are you talking about?”

“Good kid, my ass. You and  your smart mouth.”

“You like my smart mouth, though.” She giggled and gave him a look.

Tora, she had found out as  they’d gotten to know each other, was a damn pervert when he wanted to be. He was sassy as hell, he was blunt, he could also very easily turn her on faster than a freaking faucet with a single phrase. He could act like the serious and cool doctor at the hospital, but... could also be a damn freak in the sack.

The way that he was looking at her now, with a  gleam in his eyes and a crooked  smirk , made her wonder what was going to come out of his mouth next.

“ Of course I like your mouth. Especially when it’s hot and wet and wrapped around my—”

“Tora!” Poppy gasped, her face hot, as she drew her hands over his mouth. “Seriously?”

“What are you  complaining about now? You  haven’t complained in the past. In fact, I can remember some very particular times when you’ve asked me to talk dirt—”

“Tora!”

“Bobby!”

“Dang it.”

She rolled her eyes at him, but he knew she was fighting hard to not smile.

She dropped her arms from around him and yawned.

“I’m tired.  Let’s head over to bed.  It’s been an awful long shift, and  I'm sure  it’s going to be another awful long shift tomorrow. I’m  pooped .”

“Yeah, I suppose.” He let her lead him down the hall to the bathroom, where she brushed her teeth before turning back to the room so he could do what he needed as well. 

The pillows were calling her name...

She jumped into the wide bed and snuggled into the  comfy sheets and pillows.

She was already more asleep than awake when she felt the mattress dip a little and soon, a heavy arm draped around her waist.

“Night.”

“Night, Booby.”

She was far too tired to complain about the fact that  he had called her ‘booby ’.

.

“ ** What  ** do you mean that you’ve turned in your two  weeks' notice ?” 

“Quiet down, Erdene. I don’t want the whole hospital to find out.”

Poppy glanced around the hallway where several nurses passing by from the cafeteria turned to look at the two girls.  Erdene glared at them. “What are you guys  lookin ’ at? Mind your own business.”

The other people dispersed and left them there as they made their way to the nearest elevator.

“But seriously though, why did you do that Poppy!? Who is supposed to be my work wifey now? Jacob? Jacob sucks. No offense, I like the man as a person, but I wouldn’t take him as a side-piece,  metaphorically speaking.”

“Oh my god,  Erdene , you’re so dramatic.” Poppy pressed the ‘4’ button and watched the doors close. “I have my reasons, but mainly it’s because I want to formalize my relationship with Tora into something real and open.  I’m tired of being hidden and hiding him as well. You know how it is. I’m sure you and Quincey would understand what I'm talking about.”

“I know, I get it. It just sucks. It really sucks balls and I wish it  wasn’t so. Poppy, I am going to leave with you. I don’t think I can deal with this place without you!”

“Well, look who it is, Miss  Poppylan Wilkes.”

Both  Erdene and Poppy turned to the doors which had opened to reveal the same two nurses from the  previous time. Their smiles widened into smirks when they saw her in there.

“Do you know these ho. .. people ?”  Erdene asked with a raised brow and the nurses rolled their eyes at her.

“You’re one to talk,  Erdene .  We’ve heard about you as well. You’re famous,” the younger nurse stated with a  scoff . 

“Oh,  yeah ? What have you heard? Tell me, I want to make sure  you’ve got everything correct. Can’t have you going around spreading rumors without all the juicy details,”  Erdene replied with a mock concern. “Come on. Spill.”

The older nurse scoffed. “You have no shame. Anyways, everyone knows that you’ve been sleeping around with Dr.  Balthuman from Cardiology.”

Erdene threw her head back, laughing loudly.

“That is not news at all. Those are facts, and they are old. You guys should find better things to spread instead of old news.” The way that  Erdene threw that back at them amazed Poppy. She was a strong girl, that was for sure. She  didn’t think she could ever be that brave and outspoken like  Erdene .

“No wonder you two are friends,” the other nurse shot back with a look at Poppy. “Two nurses sleeping with their providers.”

“Yeah,  yeah , whatever. But guess what, Dr.  Balthuman is not my provider, nor is he in my unit, or even the same building.”  Erdene sized up the girl before her before bringing her hands to her hips and striking a pose. “It sucks, doesn’t it? That you tried and  failed to catch his attention. I did nothing and he likes me.  I guess  it goes to show that not every guy is into... easy girls.”

The younger nurses  blanched , before taking a step towards her.

“You bitch!”

“Jennifer!” the older nurse hissed as she dropped her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “She’s only trying to make you angry.”

Erdene didn’t stop, however. She chuckled and crossed her arms, attention now focused on the older nurse.

“And you, Vera.  You’re just a jealous,  ornery piece of work, who  doesn’t like Poppy only  because Dr. Nishioka likes working with her. There is another thing though... She didn’t try sleeping with him unlike  _ you _ .” Poppy gasped and her eyes shot to the woman, Vera.  Erdene had to dig the knife even deeper. “And you know why? Because he  isn’t into lazy, easy women either! So, ha!”

“You little—”

“What is going on here?”

The deep voice broke the tension between the four women, and Vera who was on the verge of jumping Erdene, stopped.

They all turned to look at Tora and Quincey who stood by the rear exit of the elevator, papers in hand, wide eyes staring at the group of women arguing inside.

“Dr. Nishioka!” they all gasped at the same time trying to pretend that nothing was going between them at all.

“What is going on here?”

The six of them turned behind them to find Vincent  Balthuman standing there with a  smirk and looking as calm as ever before the tensed group before them.

....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I am still alive. Barely. But still alive.  
> Here is the updated chapter for this story. I have perhaps one or two chapters left of this story, depending on how long i can make them out to be.   
> Sorry for the delay. I really have tried to make myself work on personal things, but work (and life in general) has been so exhausting. Not kidding. I get home, autoclave myself, and pass out soon after. My mental state has been in the s-.... Yeaaaah.
> 
> Seeing how work has been for me lately, the next chapter might be a while to upload as well, but I promise, i'm still here.  
> Thanks for hanging around everyone!   
> ...  
> Also, HAVE YOU GUYS WATCHED 'AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER' !??!?!?!!? hOLY FREAK. I swear, i'm like O_O.  
> i'm sitting here watching the Kid beat the crap out of the Fire Lord like OH MY GAWD.  
> You guys should watch it xD


	10. **announcement**

Hello everyone. I hope everyone is safe and healthy. 

I just wanted to thank everyone who's been reading, re-reading these stories and sending positive vibes. I know it's been over a month since my last post.... but honestly, things have just been happening.

I didnt want to do this, but I think it'll have to be done. For the time being, this story and BODYGUARD AND THE PAINTER, as well, will have to be on hiatus. 

Reasons being:  
It's been a month and I'm still sick. WORK is ridiculous. I am dealing with personal family losses and trying to take care of my mother's emotional health due to said loss. Apart from that, I just started school again. 

Its been a rollercoaster of a ride...

I will come back as soon as this whole mess has somehow winded down.

Thank you and sorry 😞 

Stay safe, tell your love ones you love them.   
Make peace with those that you need to before something happens to them.

~Ames


	11. Announcement

Hello everyone!! 

Just stopping by to let you guys know that I haven't forgotten about this story or this website at all, lol!

Barely alive. Barely breathing. But still here.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'm working on the next update for this story. Its been a slow process.... but life is hectic. 

Between another funeral, a couple COVID family members, and feeling dead for two weeks with ongoing fever that won't go away and feeling like I can breathe, plus work and school, I'm trying. Lol 

That's like 3-4 dead family members this year and 3 last year dang.or more. Idk at this point.

Im working on it guys. Thank you for the support.

Please stay safe, stay home if you can, wash your hands, use face masks. This COVID is NOT FUN. Feeling like you can't breathe or cool down is NOT fun.  
😔😔😪🤮

Stay safe y'all. 

Ive got tons of school deadlines coming up, but I'm working on the chapter in between.

~~ love y'all 

*Nurse Amethyst 🙃😙


	12. Seashells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seashells, lunch, crazy Janes, and.... Quincey.  
> .........  
> ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO LILYDUSK FOR HER WEBCOMIC "MIDNIGHT POPPY LAND." I am just borrowing her hot characters for a little ride. FOLLOW HER ON PATREON FOR AWESOME GOODIES ;D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> STRANGERS- Mt. Joy  
> DREAMS TONITE- Alvvays  
> NEW PERSON, SAME OLD MISTAKES- Tame Impala  
> WE FELL IN LOVE IN OCTOBER- girl in red

Poppy stared out the window of her bedroom.

White walls covered with framed nature photography made her feel so calm. Her favorite one was the one of a winding set of stairs lined by trees on the side. It led down to a hidden beach, easier to climb down than to climb back up.

Stretching her arms above her head, she sighed contently when she heard her back pop, feeling that rush of  warmth through her body as muscles stretched and settled.

She glanced over at space next to her on the bed, the large navy pillows still had a deep indentation on them from use, and the covers had been kicked down to the side. Poppy climbed out of bed, pulling on a large bathrobe over her skimpy shorts as she made her way downstairs.

“Good morning , beautiful.”

“Good morning , hot stuff ,” she replied with a smile at Tora who was sitting at the kitchen counter drinking some tea. He gave her one of those wide smiles of his, those that made his eyes crinkle at the sides and showed off his dimples. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Cereal.”

“Sounds delicious,” she laughed as she went around the counter and pulled a bowl out of the cupboard as well. “I guess cereal it is.”

They sat together quietly, the only sound coming from their cereal as they munched away.

The last couple  of weeks have been something else… She could not believe how much it had changed! She was just so glad that was over.

_ “So, is anyone going to tell me what’s going on here?” _

_ Tora and Quincey looked at each other, the dark-haired man about to speak when Vera spoke up first, her voice coming out more of a sob than anything. _

_ “We were in the elevator when these two got in and started making rude jokes at us!” she half whimpered with a look at Poppy and Erdene. The latter raised their brows in surprise, didn’t say anything, too shock for words at the damn lies coming out of the woman’s mouth. _

_ “Yes, we already had to deal with Poppy before,” the other one started as she threw Vincent a pitiful look that reminded him of a puppy. He blinked at her, no other form of expression on his face. _

_ “Are you sure?” _

_ “Yes, sir.” _

_ Vincent turned to Erdene and Poppy, both who were still quiet, fuming, but not saying anything else. Poppy was glad that Erdene was keeping her cool, considering how explosive she knew she could easily get. _

_ “Sir, with all due respect,” Quincey cut in as he gave Vera and Jennifer a look. “When the elevator door opened, these two here,” he nodded at the women one time, “Were posed to physically assault Miss Poppy and Miss Erdene.” _

_ “We would not!” Vera gasped. Jennifer turned red. _

_ Tora gave them a bored look. “Sir, Vera here has verbally harassed Poppy before. She’s started rumors that she’s sleeping around _ _ , _ _ and she also tried to come on to me before. That is the real reason why I asked that I get a different nurse.” Vera paled, while Poppy and Erdene continued to  _ _ stare _ _ in confusion, awe, and amazement. Tora continued, “Before you try to assume that Erdene and Poppy are the ones causing trouble, perhaps you could remember all the times I complained about Vera and about Miss Jenn here over the past years. I assure  _ _ you, _ _ Miss Erdene nor Poppy have anything to do with whatever…  _ _ these _ _ nurses are accusing them of.”  _

_ “Doctor  _ _ Nishioka _ _ …” Vera whispered, looking hurt and shocked at the same time. “You asked for me to be moved to a different floor?” _

_ Tora stared down at the woman, not a single emotion showing on his face. “Yes. I assure you, Vera, I had nothing against you in the beginning, but when you tried to touch me and…  _ **_ hit  _ ** **_ on me _ ** _ , that was the last straw. I can be nice and friendly, but I do not appreciate unwanted attention on my person.” _

_ “But she’s sleeping with you!” _

_ That was from Jenn who had been glaring at Erdene and Poppy, listening to what Tora was explaining to Vincent and Vera. How could he say that? The hypocrite! He was sleeping with his nurse after all! _

_ “How do you know that I’m  _ ** sleeping ** **__ ** _ with her?” Tora questioned Jenn who looked confused when he said it more of a statement that a question.  _

_ “We saw you at the club with her.” _

_ “Did you see me doing anything with her that would make you state what you just did?” _

_ Jenn frowned, looking between Vera and Poppy, she mumbled something to herself. _

_ “What was that?” Vincent asked. _

_ “No, Sir. I mean, you were kissing her!” _

_ “Doesn’t mean that there’s anything else going on,” Quincey huffed with a bored wave of his hand. “You cannot go around accusing people of doing things without knowing the facts.” _

_ Vera and Jenn glared at the blond, who ignored their glares completely. Vincent cleared his throat.  _

_ “We’re making a scene. Miss Vera, Miss Jenn, I want to speak to you ladies individually later. What are your extensions? I’ll call you when I’m ready.” _

_ “2235.” _

_ “2212.” _

_ “Thank you. That will be all,” Vincent stated as he punched in the numbers into his phone. Obviously dismissed, the women huffed and left immediately. “And I want to speak to you two, Tora and Poppy.” _

_ “Sir?” _

_ “Right now.” _

_ “Yes, sir.” _

_ Erdene was about to walk away when Vincent told her that he needed to speak to her as well. Quincey watched his face, trying to figure out what the man was thinking, but he  _ _ did not _ _ reveal anything. _

_ Tora and Poppy followed Vincent down, back to his office, taking the seats in front of his desk. When he finally turned around to face them, he was smiling widely. _

_ “Now, about rules and regulations…” _

_. _

Poppy was back to staring out the kitchen window, not really paying attention and not realizing that Tora had been trying to catch her attention.

“Bobby!”

“Hmm, what?” she held her spoon midway to her mouth and glanced back at him. “What’s wrong?”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Vincent.”

“Vincent? Why?”

Poppy smiled softly and settled her spoon back on her bowl. “I was thinking about all the crazy things that have gone down in the last couple weeks. I still can’t believe that I’m no longer working at the hospital.”

Tora studied her for a second. He still felt bad, guilty, that she had quit her job because of him. She had told him many times already that  she’d choose to do the same thing over again if she had to. She chose him. She could always find another  decent job , but she might not find another Tora.

It  did not stop him from feeling bad about it though.

“And you need to stop feeling guilty for me, Tora,” Poppy pointed out and shook her head. “It was my decision. I’m a big girl, I can decide things for myself.”

“I know, I just don’t like that—”

“Don’t like that someone else cares for you?” Poppy dropped her gaze and smiled softly before looking back up at him. “And there’s something I want to tell you.”

He blinked, slightly confused for a second, before a rush of pink filled his high cheeks.

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

Flushing brightly pink herself, she said, “I love you.”

Tora stared at her for a second before he leaned over and pulled her towards him so he could hug her. She squealed and pushed back a little, trying to move her head so she could breathe. Giggling, she rested her cheek against his chest, her arms around his waist. 

“Tora?”

“Give me a second, I’m enjoying this moment,” came his muffled reply against her head. Poppy let herself be hugged.

“It’s no big deal.”

“It is a big deal.”

“But we’ve had this conversation before. You know that I care for you, deeply. We're living together now.”

Pulling back to look at her, he studied her face. 

“I know you care for me. Poppy, you care for so many people and things. But this is different. I don’t think you’ve said this with a straight face before.”

She blinked at that. Sure, she’d said it many times during sexy times, but it was more of an involuntary reaction to whatever he was doing to her at that time. She guessed he had a point there.

“I’m sorry that I haven’t said it with a straight face before,” she grinned. “I promise I’ll try to say it more often than not, and with as much seriousness as possible.”

“Although, maybe not too serious because I might think that you’re mad at me and about to hit me or something.”

“I would not,” Poppy scoffed, but grinned either way.

“Let’s finish eating and go for a walk or something,” Tora said with a  half-smile . “I’m feeling in the mood for like… the beach or something.”

“The beach? You? Mr. Tall, Dark, and Mysterious wants to head to the beach?” 

“Yes, the beach. How hard is that to believe? I like the beach. Sun, sand, breeze, seashells.”

“Seashells?” Her eyebrows had risen so close, he worried that  they would merge with her hairline. “Seashells?”

“Yes, seashells. I like seashells. They’re interesting things, plus wandering around finding them is kind of relaxing,” he shrugged. 

“Alright. I guess we can go seashell hunting later,” she agreed, but he could still her grin as she looked back to her breakfast.

…...

“ ** Hey ** , Bobby?”

“Hmm?”

“Have you ever imagined your perfect wedding?”

Poppy glanced up from her spot next to the sand where she was rinsing out some seashells. “What?”

“As a kid, did you ever plan your wedding? I know girls like to do stuff like that.”

“I-I… well,” Standing up, she  bagged her seashells and put them in her pocket. “I suppose. Why the question?”

He was rolling a small piece of seaweed between his fingers. “Just wondering. So, what kind of wedding had you imagined? Quincey’s not a girl, but that’s pretty close and I've been hearing about the ‘three hundred guests or more’ wedding for years.”

“That seems like a lot of people!” Poppy giggled with a shake of her head. “For the longest time, I just assumed that it would be all my family and friends. But I don’t really have a lot of family, and my closest friends are ones I can count easily in one hand and a half. Besides like Erdene, my two best friends, my granny, my mom, Quincey, you, and I guess Jacob, that’s not even my whole ten fingers!”

Tora glanced over at her. “Am I invited or participating?”

“What?”

“In your imaginary wedding?”

“I don’t get it.”

“Am I invited ...” he started slowly, “Or am I  _ participating _ ? In my imaginary wedding, I’m getting hitched, I'm dragging you with me, and we elope. Nobody knows—well, maybe Quincey since he’s nosy— and we take a month-long honeymoon somewhere nice. Maybe close to the beach, somewhere sunny.”

To say that she was shocked was an understatement. Poppy blinked several times before she finally understood the words that he had just told her.

He had thought about  _ eloping  _ with her!

“Earth to Bobby?” He tapped her forehead with one of his long fingers, making her blink again. “You okay?”

“Uh, yeah. Just... Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just say that you’ve thought of us eloping?”

Tora gave her a small smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You look very surprised.”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why? Because you just said  you’ve imagined us eloping. As in, leaving together to  get _ married _ .”

“And?”

“Tora, you don’t just tell a girl those things. Not unless you mean them,” Poppy explained with a shake of her head. Face flushed bright pink, she turned, her eyes wandering to the sand again to look for more seashells.

“What if I do mean it?”

Poppy stopped to glance back at him again.

“What if it’s not only a passing idea?” Hands in the pockets on his baggy hoodie, he came over to stand next to her. Before she knew what was going on, he had ruffled her hair and pinched her cheeks, making her squeal in indignation. “Why do you look so worried, Little Hamster?”

“I’m not worried. I just— stawp . Why do you always pinch my cheeks?  Toraaa !” she grumbled as he pinched her cheeks again.

“Because you remind me of a little hamster, Bobby.” With twinkling eyes, he added, “And because it annoys you. Now, stop worrying.”

“Okay. OKAY. TORA!” she rubbed her cheeks when he let her go with a chuckle.  Glaring at him for a moment, she  sighed. “I’m not worried.”

“Okay.”

“I’m serious. I’m not. It’s just strange.”

“That I’ve considered marrying you? I said it before. I don’t take relationships lightly. Besides, when have I ever lied to you about something this serious? I don’t go lying to people, you know that more than anyone. I’m being serious.”

“I’m a little confused as to  what you’re serious about.”

“Me, you, eloping.”

Poppy sputtered in surprise, face blushing red.

“What!?”

“You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

“ Are you proposing? Is that really your way of proposing to a girl?”

“I’ve never proposed to anyone before, so I can’t say I know how to propose to anyone. You’re the first one for whom the idea has ever crossed my mind.”

Poppy  did nothing else but stare at him, her eyes wide and confused. For a moment, she thought she might resemble a guppy.

“ Okay, just to be clear, you are  _ not  _ proposing right now, correct?”

“ I… if you don’t want me to.”

“Can we come back to this at another time?” she asked with a sheepish smile. She rubbed her eyes quickly, hands squeezing her face for a second as she tried to catch everything going on. “ You were  _ not _ proposing to me right now, were you?”

“Did you want me to?”

“No! I mean, yes. I mean… I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’m freaking out a little bit.”

“We already live together, it seems like a good step forward to take, don’t you think?”

Poppy stood there, hands on her waist, staring at him like she thought he had lost his mind—which in a way, she felt like he had. What kind of proposal was that? Randomly bringing up the comment about eloping...  That is not the kind of proposal she had ever imagined at all!

“Are you mad at me now?”

“I’m not mad at you.”

“You look upset. What? I don’t understand.”

“I’m not upset. I’m slightly confused.” Poppy frowned, cocking her head to the side slightly. After a moment of silence, she added, with a clap of her hands. “Alright, okay. Okay, so time to  go? Yeah , lunch?”

Tora said nothing, just shrugged. He waited for her to slip off her sandals and carry them in her hands as they headed back to his car.

**They** decided to head downtown for some sushi, their conversation mostly about what they were going to order and what  they had eaten  there last time.

Despite telling herself that she had been acting ridiculous about the whole eloping thing, Poppy  could not stop thinking about it. She still  didn’t know whether she should feel flattered that he had been thinking about it that way, or whether she should be hoping for something more special. Finally, she concluded that with Tora, quiet and simple was better, considering how he was a reserved person.

She really  could not see him making a big show out of asking her to marry him, or bringing in people to record the moment, or even having 300 people at a wedding. It just  wasn’t him.

How the heck they ended up together was something still confusing to her, although she had to thank that leaky pen dripping all over her scrub top that one time...

She smiled warmly to herself, glanced over at him as he drove them to the sushi place, and concluded that whatever Tora did  for her—if they ever got engaged—would be good for her.

“What are you smiling about, Bobby? You’re being creepy.”

“Nothing. Just thinking,” she said with a grin.

“Being creepy,” he stated once more with a raised eyebrow.

She laughed but said nothing else.

.

“ **_ Heeey _ ** , what are the  _ odds  _ of us meeting here?”

Tora glanced up from his menu to the woman who had greeted him. He frowned slightly because he hadn’t recognized her at first, until it hit him that it was  _ Jane _ , the brunette rep who had been trying to get into his pants for the longest time. 

“Jane?”

“Yes! Who else? Didn’t you recognize me?” she grinned widely as she struck a pose. She fluffed her hair—which was now blonde and the reason he hadn’t recognized her at first. 

“Actually, no. I’m sorry, it’s been a while,” he apologized, internally hoping that she would leave. He  was not in the mood to entertain her 20 Questions and especially when he planned to have a nice lunch with Bobby.

“It has been a while,” she said with her wide grin, clearly not catching on to his aloofness. She saw the empty seat across from him and pulled it back, sitting down before he got a chance to tell her not to. “And still alone?” she inquired with a small smirk because she finally had him alone to herself, where he had no other option to run off to.

“No. I’m here with someone,” Tora explained as he tried to discreetly look out for Poppy. She had gone to the restroom to wash her hands, but it was now a little over five minutes and she was not back yet .  He flinched when he felt his hand being held and he found her holding his hand on the table.

“Oh, honey, you don’t have to pretend in my presence. It’s okay to have lunch alone  occasionally ,” she almost purred, her voice dropped so only he could hear her. Tora pulled his hand back and held it close to himself as he stared back at her.

“I am not alone. I’m here with someone. And they might be back soon, so I apologize, but they’re going to need the seat.”

Jane waved him off, obviously not believing him as she settled into the seat.

“Jane...” he started, feeling himself becoming more than a little annoyed.

“I’m back!”

Tora sighed with relief when Poppy popped around the corner, coming towards the table. She paused briefly, confusion in her face when she saw Jane who had taken her seat, and the  extremely uncomfortable looking Tora now glaring at the blonde across from him.

“Oh, hello there! Can I get a drink?” Jane asked with a wave at Poppy who frowned.

“I’m sorry, I’m not a waitress,” Poppy explained as she came up to the table.

“What?  Never mind .” Jane frowned and stared at Poppy as she stood next to Tora. “Can we help you? We’re trying to have lunch here—”

“ **_ WE _ ** ,” Tora interrupted as he pulled Poppy closer to his side by her hand. She stood next to him, holding his hand, as he gave the blonde woman a cold look. “WE, as in Poppy and  I , were trying to have lunch together. YOU are in her seat, Jane. YOU are interrupting our lunch.”

Poppy flushed, feeling embarrassed for the woman who blushed red and gaped at her.

“I, what—what do you mean? Lunch with her?” The way she said it made it sound like she truly could not believe that Tora was having lunch with Poppy. She gave her a once over, taking in her capris, her white sneakers, her t-shirt with cactus designs on it, over which shed thrown a simple cardigan. She looked like a teenager, not someone that Tora—tall, dark, and handsome— _ Doctor  _ Tora would be having lunch with.

She took in the way that Tora was holding on the girl...

“Yes. With her.” Tora looked away from Jane to look at Poppy and smile at her. “Jane, this is my girlfriend, Poppylan. Poppy, this is Jane, she’s one of the reps that works with us.”

Poppy, being the friendly girl that she was, leaned over and stretched her hand out for Jane to take. “Oh, hello. Nice to meet you.”

Jane hesitated, taking in the outstretched hand before she very briefly shook her hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

Poppy  was not stupid. She knew that someone was going with this woman, knew that the woman was not liking her presence here, interrupting whatever was going on with her and Tora. She  didn’t comment on it, however, because she knew that Tora would explain what was going on afterwards.

“Uh, I should probably get going,” Jane stated as she reached for her bag and stood up.

“Yes, you should,” Tora agreed, with a short nod at her. 

“It was nice seeing you, To—”

“ _ Doctor  _ Nishioka,” Tora cut her off and Poppy glanced over at him. He never used his title with anyone unless he really felt it was necessary.

“Uh, yes... It was nice running into you, doctor,” Jane replied, more to herself than to him. She gave Poppy a look before turning and leaving.

They watched her leave before Poppy turned to Tora with a confused look.

“So... Should I ask?”

“She’s been trying to get into my pants for the last couple years,” Tora explained calmly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He motioned for Poppy to take her seat. “Of course, nothing’s ever happened.  She has been very persistent, though. Most of the times that she’s seen me have been during rep dinners, but this is the first time that she’s ran into me out of those settings.” Tora chuckled, shaking his head, and added, “She insisted it was okay to have lunch alone occasionally. She simply assumed I was by myself, even when I explained that I was waiting for my girlfriend to return.”

“Aww.” Poppy smiled. “Your girlfriend?”

“Well, unless you wanted to call you my ‘ fiancée ’?” 

“Err?”

“You really need to stop being so paranoid and suspicious,” he added when he saw the panicked look on her face again. Before she could put in her two cents, the server interrupted them with their drink order. “Thank you so much.”

“I’ll be back for your food order.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Looking over at him again, she added, “Paranoid? Said the pot to the kettle.”

“I’m a realist.”

“Okay.”

“It’s just a word, Bobby. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m not.  It just threw me off.”

“But you could be...” Tora added with a look. Leaning back on his seat, he crossed his arms over his chest as he studied her. “I wasn’t kidding when I said that I don’t take relationships lightly. You mean a lot to me, Poppy, but I will also not pressure you into anything you don’t want to do. I’m a patient guy, I can wait.”

“Ah... Yes, I know.” Blushing lightly, she smiled softly. “I know. I’ll try not to make you wait too long.” Then with a frown she added, “But you also should come up with a better proposal than that! That was horrible.”

Chuckling, he reached over and pinched her cheek again.

“I’ll try, you paranoid little sh--”

“ Heeeey ! Tora!” she tried to smack his hand away only to his entertainment.

“Yeah, yeah.”

.

** <...3 months later...> **

“ _Hey_ Quincey.”

“Oh, hey Tora, what’s up?”

Tora who had been pacing around his office for a while, went over to his door and shut the door.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Sure. But a favor? You’re asking me for a favor? You, Mr. Independent, asking  mua , for a favor?”

“Will you help me or not?” Tora groused. “Stop being a smartass.”

Chuckling on the other end, Quincey nodded. “Okay, fine. Sourpuss, what do you need?”

“I want to know if you can help me plan a way to propose to Poppy?” The sound of water spitting on Quincey’s end made Tora pull the phone from his ear and stare at it. “Are you okay?”

Cough  cough . “YOU’RE THINKING OF PROPOSING TO POPPYLAN!?”

“Stop screaming. Yes, I’m thinking of proposing to her—actually kind of did already, but she didn’t think it was a good one.”

“YOU ALREADY PROPOSED TO HER ONCE BEFORE AND SHE TURNED YOU DOWN?!”

“She didn’t think it wasn’t a good one! And maybe it wasn’t. I just kind of brought it up and I thought she would agree to—”

“TORA, you don’t just bring it up as a second thought and expect a woman to agree to it. This is Poppylan. This is a nice, lovely young woman who decided she found something likeable in your snarky ass and—”

“WILL YOU HELP ME OR NOT?” Tora half grunted. Maybe asking Quincey had not been the best idea, he was starting to doubt his idea...

“ OF COURSE, I WILL, YOU DUMB AND BEAUTIFUL MAN! This is perfect! Perfect! I’ve been preparing for this my whole life...”

Once Quincey started mumbling on about wedding venues, caterers, and invitations Tora had blanked out. 

He was more concerned about what would happen and what Quincey could possibly come up with to help him with Poppy...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Still alive and kicking!  
> Sorry for making you guys wait so long. It's been a rather hectic ride... I'm back, sort of. Full-time work, school, sick, family chaos and.... out of all the darkness, something good has appeared.  
> Ive found a beautifully kind and funny man, that i'm in love with. Holy crap. I'm in love.  
> shoot. **hyperventilates a little**  
> Things are looking super well, very very well... :D  
> THanks jebus!
> 
> Anyways, enough about that. Here is this chapter. Im sorry if it's a little short, it feels a little short to me, but I still have about another chapter or so in me for this story. I'm excited.
> 
> Take care loves! <3 <3


	13. Fireworks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fireworks. Pew pew!  
> .........  
> All characters belong to Miss Lilydusk for her webcomic "MIDNIGHT POPPY LAND", I'm just borrowing them for a bit. If you haven't read it yet, go catch up on it!!! You won't regret it! Follow her Patreon for awesome goodies ;D  
> ..........

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GORGEOUS- X Ambassadors  
> I DON'T KNOW WHY I LIKE YOU BUT I DO- The Wombats  
> BEYOND- Leon Bridges

**_.............................. _ **

**_ “You _ ** know what I like about driving out into the middle of nowhere?”

“That your chances of getting kidnapped, murdered, and no one finding your body for months—if they find it—get higher the further out you go?”

“I — NO, you ninny.”

Poppy turned to Tora who was driving them up a thin, winding road. They’d been out here before, twice, and she was excited to be out here again.

“Should I even be out here with your old, creepy butt?” she asked as she gave him a bored look. “Are you planning on murdering and hiding my body somewhere where it won’t be found for days?” She tapped her forefinger to her chin. “Now that I think about it... Is this your way of kidnapping me? If you kill me, let my grandmother know so she won’t have to worry about it. It would suck to get murdered, but if I look at it from a positive angle, I have to say that I will definitely not miss having to pay off my student loans.”

“Dammit Poppy, why do you have to be such a drama queen? God, so dramatic.”

“I AM THE DRAMA.”

“Yeah, yeah, nice one Timmy.” Tora replied with a roll of his eyes. “Although Timmy’s hamster Bartholomew does get murdered, and you’re a hamster too, so...” He laughed. It was all  in reference to a video on an application she had been obsessing over for the last couple  of weeks . The main character was a boy named Timmy whose mother had accidentally killed his hamster with a vacuum. 

“Haha funny. But no. Anyways, I like coming out here because  it is so peaceful and quiet. Being far away from the hustle and  bustle of traffic and people is nice.”

“ Maybe you should reconsider your career choice, Miss Melodramatic. I think  you would be a great writer. I  don’t think I ever told you this, but I really liked your charting. I always knew that if I needed information, I would find it there. You never missed anything, and it was well-detailed. You sure covered all your bases.”

“I like being a nurse though. I could always pick it up as a side hobby. Ooh, look at those stars! So pretty! I never get over how beautiful the sky looks out here!” she exclaimed  excitedly as they reached the top of the hills and Tora pulled into an empty cemented lot under the bridge/ overpass . “ _ Regina’s Peak _ ... This place is more dramatic than the name sounds, but  it’s perfect. Come on, Tora!” Always the excited person she was, Poppy jumped out of the car and started for the side where a short metal divider was at. The first time that Tora had brought her up here  he had nearly had a heart attack thinking she was going to kill herself. 

He had been so paranoid about  it, he had even pulled out a random rope from the trunk of his car and used it to tie her so she  would not jump. She  hadn’t been too happy about that.

“Tora, hurry up .  What are you being so slow for?”

“Poppy, I’m old. My brittle, old bones  don’t move as fast as you. Calm down, little hamster.” She rolled her eyes at him and kept walking to the edge.

“The stars look so beautiful!”

Tora glanced over at Poppy as she gushed excitedly about the stars and the view of the city. He was so glad that it was a clear night out, the moon was big and bright enough that it illuminated the usually dark parking lot. He was going to need the light.

He checked his phone for Quincey’s message.

** WE’RE HERE,  ** he texted the  blond quickly.

**_ IN PLACE. STALL 5 MINS. _ **

He shot him a response and climbed out of the car after Poppy, giant pink bag full of snacks and goodies that Poppy decided to bring, on his arm.

“Look at that star, Tora. See how it keeps blinking? If I remember correctly, the ones that keep changing colors are supposed to be supernovas from far, far, far away bursting, and  we’re seeing their  flicker . At least,  that is what  I think it was. I  wasn’t that great on that stuff. Doesn’t matter, it’s still nice to view either way,” she grinned widely as she looked back at Tora and the giant pink  tote bag of hers. “Bring it over here, we can have our snacks by the edge and stare at the stars.”

“I don’t understand what your fascination with the sky is. That and the ocean.”

“They’re infinite. Sky’s the limit. We  don’t know  what is up there. Could be another you or me in another dimension. Same goes for the ocean.  We’ve only come so far in finding out  what’s under there. What if it’s some hot Tora-look-alike merman?”

“I’d like to think that I’m way better looking that some wet wannabe-me fish.”

She gave him a bored look. “They  lied, romance is dead.”

Rolling his eyes, he handed her a couple of chip bags and a small bento box.

A woman of many  talents: made cutesy bento boxes, had beautiful writing skills, and survival skills. 

“So why did you want to here tonight?” she finally asked him as she took a bite of some food. “I mean, it’s not that I don’t like it – I do – it's just strange that you wanted to come out here all of a sudden.”

He shrugged, “I’ve been meaning to come out here for a while.”

“Okay...” she eyed him for a second before looking out towards the edge at the bright lit city. His phone buzzed and the screen lit up with an incoming message notification. “Who’s that?”

He opened it up and saw it was Quincey.

** READY? GIVE THE WORD. **

“Tora?” she questioned again with a look, but he ignored her and made to move from her.

“Oh, hey was that a shooting star?”

“Wha—what? Hey! I was eating that.” Poppy blinked in confusion as Tora got to his feet, taking her bento box out of her hands. “Tora, you’re being weird,” she huffed with a look.

“I’m sure it was a shooting star,” he ignored her as he pulled her to her feet and pulled her closer to the edge.

“Are you sure you’re really not trying to throw me off the edge?” she asked with a nervous chuckle. She looked up at the sky to try and see what he was talking about but saw nothing. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“It was a shooting star.”

“Well, it’s gone now,” she said and shook her head. 

“Look! There it is again!” he said again and pointed over the city. “Look at those buildings over there.”

“I’m not an astronomer or an astrophysicist or whatever, but I'm sure that shooting stars don’t come out of tall build—whoa, fireworks!” she stopped as she saw fireworks being shot from the roof of one of the buildings. She leaned closer to the metal  divider, eyes wide as she watched the bursting colors in the sky. “That’s not a star, but it’s still pretty cool,” she mused with a grin.

“Keep watching. Maybe it’ll have something cool.”

“It’s fireworks, Tora, it’s always—OH MY GOD!”

** Poppy  ** stared wide-eyed at the exploding fireworks. 

Were her eyes deceiving her, or did the last one just spelled out her name in big pink sparkly letters?

“Tora... Did you see that?”

“See what?”

“Tora, the name—whoa.” She gasped as more fireworks split in the sky forming the words,  ** I LOVE YOU ** . Heart racing, she glanced at Tora briefly who was staring at the sky as well. She turned back before the next ones exploded into bright  ** WILL YOU ** ... Pop  pop ...  ** MARRY ** ....pop  pop ...  ** ME? **

Pop  pop .

** TORA. **

“SHUUT UPPP!” she gasped as she threw her hands to her mouth in surprise. She turned to face Tora and nearly screamed again.

He was down on one knee, little black velvet box in hand opened to reveal a shiny ring.

“Poppylan, my Bobby, will you marry me?”

“AH!”

Poppy, hands still pressed to her cheeks, heart racing, could not believe it.

Beautiful, exotic, tall, gorgeous, sweet, and sexy,  smart, and sarcastic—and kind of a jerk sometimes—Tora Nishioka was on bended knee before her (not that he  hadn’t been on that position before,  _ ahem  _ _ ahem _ , but this was different!)

  
“Tora...” she whispered with a watery smile.

“Bobby, you’re... funny, you’re kind.  You’re a small, fiery ball of sass and I love you for that. You make me smile. You annoy me sometimes, and make me want to pull my hair out, but then when your hands are absently stroking my head because  you’re too busy reading something and  don’t notice what  you're doing, then I  have to change my mind, because I love the feeling of your hands on me. You make me think twice about the words coming out of my mouth and how I treat people. I  haven’t been as happy as I have been with you ever. You’re my everything.”

Lip trembling, eyes teary, Poppy nodded.

“You said you wanted something special, something thought out.  I am not the most creative person ever, but I do mean what the fireworks read. Bobby, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” 

Poppy threw herself at Tora, toppling him over backwards onto the ground. He hugged her tightly to him, his face buried in her hair, heart pounding. He pushed her back enough to sit up and look at her face. “I hope... I hope you like it.” He showed her the ring again as she sat back on her knees to look at it. He motioned for her to show him her hand and laughed nervously as he slipped the small band into her finger.

“It’s beautiful, Tora. Thank you,” she sniffed as she studied the ring on her finger. “It’s the perfect size, too. How did you figure that out?”

“Uh... I may have tied a tiny thread around your finger... Then that didn’t work because I almost tied it too tight and cut off your circulation when you were sleeping. So, I just took one of Erdene’s rings that I've seen you trying on and hoped for the best.”

Poppy laughed at that. All the trouble he’d gone through just for her.

She leaned over and kissed him softly. “It’s beautiful, Tora.”

He kissed her soft lips, raising his hands up to hold her face as they kissed. “I love you, Bobby.”

“I love you, Tora,” she whispered against his lips, arms around his neck.

They didn’t say anything else for a long time.

And  didn’t notice the giggling couple snapping pictures of them from behind a tall pillar a couple  meters away.

** …. **

** “Poppy,  ** you better stop messing with those curls. We don’t have time to fix them anymore if you pull them all out.”

Poppy dropped her hand and sighed. “I’m sorry, I'm just freaking out.”

“Why are you freaking out? Don’t freak out. You look beautiful,” Erdene assured her as she came about and sprayed her hair once more. “You’re a beautiful bride who is marrying a beautiful groom. And one day you’ll make beautiful babies,” she concluded with a sigh.

“That’s too soon to be thinking about babies,” Poppy laughed nervously. “Too soon.”

“Probably. But I can almost see them... Big cuddly babies with your coloring and his angry face. Or his coloring and your eyes, or both. Or identical twins to him...Haha!”

“Great.”

“Stop grousing. Come on, we have to get you down there.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Are you ready?”

“I guess as ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Okay, give me your hand.”

.

“ ** Dammit ** , Tora, stop messing with your hair.”

“I’m not. Jeez.”

“It’s already hard enough to get your hair to settle and with you messing it all up....”

“Quincey, you sound like a—”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

“Don’t be a di—whoa.”

“What?” Quincey turned and gazed in the direction that Tora was staring at now. “Wow.”

Poppy was coming up towards their little altar—a small arch created with hanging leaves and poppy flowers—which was settled before the ocean. Erdene helped the smaller brunette with her dress as they got closer. Tora could not take his eyes off his bride as she came to stand before him and the judge.

“Hi,” she smiled shyly as she glanced up him. She had opted for a simple dress considering their ceremony location. It has a silky white layer underneath a lace layer with small rose designs. The top part of the dress was modest and covered her up to her collars, except when she turned around, there was a “V” in the back which fell to her midback. Small, soft lacy sleeves covered her shoulders. She had forgone the traditional veils and opted instead for a pretty crown of flowers, and said crown adorned her brunette locks which Erden had helped get fixed into more bouncy beach waves.

“Uh...” Tora coughed to try and clear his throat. “You look beautiful, Poppy.”

“Thank you.” She blushed prettily. “You look good as always,” she added with a smile.

“We can start if you’d like,” the judge asked and they both nodded.

The small group of people—made up of Poppy’s childhood friends, Erdene, Quincey, Poppy’s mom, her grandmother, and Jacob—looked on. Jacob looked around nervously at the group of women who looked on the verge of tears. He  wasn’t so sure that Quincey would help if they started crying.

** … **

“ **_ Welcome  _ ** home, Mrs. Nishioka.”

“Oh my—Tora!” Poppy squealed in laughter as Tora picked her up and carried her through the front door of his house. “You didn’t have to!”

“Well, call me ol’ fashioned, but I had been imagining doing that with you for the longest time,” he confessed as he kicked the door shut behind him and carried her inside.

Laughing, Poppy held on for dear life with her arms around his neck. He settled her onto her feet in the hallway near the kitchen.

“So, what do you want to do now?” she grinned as she stood in front of him and played with the buttons of his shirt and his tie. “Dear  _ husband  _ of mine,” she added as an afterthought and a mischievous grin.

“Well, I for one, would like to fuck my  _ wife _ ,” he stated with a nod. “We can re-christen the kitchen if you  want. Remember, that was one of the first places we did it in this house.”

“Tora!” Poppy giggled as she stepped back from him. “How about no? Maybe some other time.”

“How about the living room? The couch is comfortable.” He started walking behind her as she headed down the hallway.

“Nah. Try again.”

“Downstairs guest room?”

“No.”

He groped her bottom making her jump in laughter.

“Well, pick a place. I’ll gladly oblige.”

She smiled and gave him a look. “How about you keep up with your ‘old fashion’ train of thought and take your  _ wife  _ upstairs to bed, husband.”

With a dark look of longing, Tora nodded. “Gladly,” before picking her up once more and throwing her over his shoulder. 

She laughed the whole way upstairs.

**. **

** “ ** ** Take  ** ** this dress off, Tora.” **

“Give me a second here.”

Poppy moaned when she felt his lips on her neck, one of his big hands on her breast, giving her squeeze.

“Come on, Tora.”

“Slow down, Bobby. I want to enjoy this.”

He pulled back and stood up to pull at his shirt until he got that off. He looked down at his beautiful curvy wife on his bed as she gazed at him through bright eyes up at him. She was breathing hard.

“And I want to enjoy you. We can do slow some other time. We have all the time in the world.”

“Yeah, but this is the first time we’re doing this as a married couple, and I want to enjoy it.”

“Toraaaa!” 

He climbed back on to the bed, going over her and taking her mouth in a kiss. When he pulled back, she was breathing harder. “I love you, Poppy.”

Arms around his arms, she kissed him once more. “I love you, too, Tora.”

Lips dropping to her neck, Tora kissed the skin there softly. He knew that she was sensitive, that she would  shiver and her eyes would shine brightly. He took her hands in his and lifted them off him, to press them against the bed on either side of her .  Hands being so much bigger than hers, he only had to use one hand to hold both of hers and hold her down as his lips trailed down her neck to the area around her collarbone.

“I really wish that you would hurry up...”

“And I said I want to enjoy this.” With a chuckle, he bit at her shoulder, enjoying the soft moan that she let out. It amused him greatly that people would see Poppy, think she was this soft, short and nerdy girl, when he had come to find out how much of a true spitfire she could truly be. With his free hand he slid one of the sleeves down her shoulder a bit, only as far as it would allow, and unsatisfied with how far it was, he let her hands go and pulled her up to a sitting position. “Let’s get this dress off you. I think it looks great, but I think my biggest prize is hidden by it.”

She nodded and twisted around so that he could undo the small buttons at her back. She clambered out of bed when he’d gotten the buttons undone and stood up in front of the bed. With a shy smile that quickly turned dark and mischievous, she let her arms drop, the dress sliding down in the process to pool around her feet.

“Oops.”

“You’re absolutely gorgeous, Bobby, and don’t you ever let anyone else tell you otherwise,” he rasped out as he stared at his curvy girl—WIFE—and he reached out for her. “Come on now, get back here.”

“I thought you weren’t in a hurry,” she giggled and raised an eyebrow at him, but took his hand, nonetheless. He pulled her back onto the bed, wrapped his arms around her and led her onto his lap.

Hands over his shoulders, she ran her fingertips down his shoulders, over the beautifully decorated tattoos that only a handful of people knew covered his body. It was like night and day, good and bad—his patients would never guess that their mostly stoic and dark medical provider was easy-going, covered in tattoos and with a past of his own. Skin warm and flushed, he shivered slightly at the feeling of her fingertips running over his body, and he started some exploration of his own.

Since the first time that they’d been together, she had loved the feeling of his hands over her body. Poppy shivered, biting her lip to keep from moaning as he ran his hands down from around her shoulder blades to the small of her back. They lingered there for a moment as he took her mouth into a hot kiss, his tongue seeking hers immediately, leaving her panting after he had lifted his mouth off hers.

“I love you on my lap,” he told her, hands quickly dropping to hold her bottom and press her firmly against her so that she could feel him rising happily against her hot heat. “Ever since that first time in that sleeping room, I saw your butt and it... it drove me crazy.”

“Yeah, I remember it really did,” she grinned and licked her lips. She would never forget that first time that they been together—it had been clandestine, super dangerous, and exciting. They had gone to town and after the first kiss that they’d share and the first feel of his touch, she’d forgotten the rules that divided them about work relationships. 

“It still drives me insane,” he said with a small groan as he squeezed her.

Poppy pulled his mouth back to hers, fusing them together so that she could enjoy the taste of his lips. Reaching up again, he worked her small bra off and threw it off the side of the bed before pulling her to him so that their chests pressed together. She moaned at the feel of his hot chest pressing against her sensitive breasts. His large body was like a furnace, hot when hers would be chilly, and she was glad for that because she never had to worry about being cold on chilly nights. He'd wrap himself around her like a blanket as they slept through the night. He would complain about her chilly toes and  hands but let her cling to him like a koala when she  seeked his warmth.

She wanted to feel him inside her and she wanted him now.

Dropping her hands between them, she fumbled with the zipper of his pants, feeling his hard erection pressing against the metal barrier there.

“Get this off...” she mumbled against his mouth, while he chuckled and let her pull back a little. She sat back on her knees and tried to work on his pants, grinning widely when she finally got the zipper down. Tora let her do her thing and simply leaned back on his shoulders as he watched her. She was clearly turned on and when this happened, he tried to let her take a little control. Poppy motioned for him to lift his hips up as she pulled his pants off, eyes widening in surprise—they always did no matter how long they did this—when his happy penis swung freely. “Wow...”

“You’ve seen it before.”

“I know, but I’m allowed to say it.” One small hand around his length, she squeezed gently. “It looks even more appealing today for some reason.”

“Because it’s yours. Forever.”

“ MmmHmm .” Licking her lips and eyeing him from behind her lashes, she added. “I think I like the sound of that.”

“Well, what are you planning to do?” Tora asked, his voice raspy with need.

“This,” He groaned when she dropped her head and kissed the tip, “For starters.”

“Fuck.”

Poppy watched his happy expression, hand still around his penis. She’d learned over time what he enjoyed and tried to keep him happy. He’d once sent her a meme reading ‘A blowjob a day keeps the breakup away’ and she’d kept that in mind. 

It sure seemed to work in their favor and here they were now...

Kiss  kiss , suck  suck ... she grinned against the head before opening her mouth and taking him in, earning a loud groan from him as he clenched the covers in his hand to prevent himself from grabbing her head. 

“Fuuuck...”

Practice makes perfect and Poppy was a quick learner, her favorite: hands-on practice. 

And muscle memory...

She opened her mouth when she felt him raise his hips a little and push himself into her mouth a bit.

Muscle memory alright.

Breathing heavily, she swallowed when he pulled up and she lifted her face off him.

“Come here, Poppy, I need to be in  ya ...” he  groaned and he sat back up, reaching for her quickly.

She squealed when he pulled her back over his lap.

“You’re so fucking delicious,” he moaned into her mouth when he kissed her hotly, teeth clashing, tongue wrestling. He reached up for her heavy breasts, squeezing them, lifting, pulling back to rub his fingers over the hot pink tips. Panting heavily, he told her, “ _ You taste like fucking heaven... _ ”

She nodded, couldn’t even speak anymore. She was hot, burning up and needed her husband now.

“Please...”

His response: he tore at the sides of her silk lace panties, making her gasp when she felt the cloth give and  soon, she was sitting butt naked on his lap with only a flower crown on her head.

He widened his legs, spreading her thighs in the process as he reached between them and ran a hot thick finger between her legs. “So hot... so wet.”

“I need you... Please, Tora!” she whimpered at the feel of his blunt finger caressing her lips and moaned when he slid a finger inside her hot heat. “Fuck! Please!”

“Fuck, yes.”

With one hand he held himself and finding her entrance, he slid home. Both groaned heavily, Poppy gasping, her eyes closing at the feel of him sliding inside her. It still  didn’t matter how many times they did  this, he was still  big and her body  seemed to always have that  initial shock of amazement at how good he felt.

He leaned back on to his elbows again, staring hungrily up at her, with her tousled brunette locks and flower crown on her head. “Ride me...”

Poppy nodded half dazed at the gorgeously tanned skin with the golden eyes beneath her. Heart clenching, she fought back the tears at the realization that he was  _ hers _ . He was really hers. Her husband. Once simply a doctor she worked with and annoyed her, she was now here with him starting the rest of their lives together.

She lifted her hips up, only to sink again, her hips meeting in the middle with his own as they lifted. 

“Yes...”

They moved together, their bodies furnaces, burning burning.... Poppy groaned when he lifted his hands and grabbed her breasts, holding them and molding them. Having enough of her on him, Tora flipped them over quickly, taking one of her knees and pushing it back so she was even more opened to him. He pressed her down against the bed, with one hand on her knee and the other entangled in her hair, he moved over her.

Thrusting, deep, deeper....

Her cries only urged him on and on. Her hands reached up, clasping his broad arms as she tried to hold on to something. 

She would never get tired of this, of his body over hers, of the heavy feel of him, the heat of his skin on hers. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the hot push of his body in hers.

“Fuck you feel so good!” he groaned against her neck. He moved his face and found her mouth again, moving over it the way he was moving inside her. She nodded eagerly, still clinging for dear life as he continued to fuck her, thrusting inside her as if it was the first time that they were doing this.

She didn’t even see it coming...

Poppy cried out loudly, fingers digging into his arms when she felt herself clench around him, heard him groan. Her body shaking, she continued crying out, stars bursting behind her eyes as she felt her body coming apart around hm.

Finally, she felt him give one last hard push and held himself shaking over hers, arms around her and face in her neck as he groaned shakily.

“I love you...”

**…**

“ **_ You  _ ** know what’s going to suck for the poor kid when he’s born?”

“He?”

“Or she. Doesn’t matter, I just want it to be healthy.”

“Yeah, I suppose.”

“Anyways, you know what’s going to suck for the poor kid?”

“What?” 

Tora looked at his wife over the top of his work laptop as she sat in the opposite couch trying to detangle some yarn balls. 

“That his father will be a doctor and his mother is a nurse. He’s only ever going to go to the doctor’s office when he’s  _ dying _ .” Poppy explained with a sigh. She lifted a hand to her heavily pregnant belly and patted it softly. “Sorry, buddy, you get the best of both worlds. Medical experience and stubborn parents. You’ll be a survivor.”

Tora grinned. “He’ll be fine. He'll just have a head start in the medical experience when he wants to apply to medical school.”

“What if he’s a she and she wants to be a nurse?”

“What if she wants to be a doctor? Even better. She’ll be beautiful like me and smart like you,” Tora pointed out.

“Why not beautiful like me and smart like you?”

“Because I’m gorgeous, Bobby.” Tora grinned as Poppy rolled her eyes at him. “But I'm not so smart sometimes. That’s why I need you to be my nurse forever—to keep me in check and keep me alive. You’ll be my hot, brainy nurse forever.”

Poppy blushed prettily despite herself. She got to her feet and waddled over to her ‘gorgeous’ husband who closed his laptop and set it aside. Throwing her arms around his shoulders, she leaned against him, and he lifted his arms around her.

He was forty-two years old now, not the same  thirty-seven-year-old man she had  initially started her relationship with years back.

Even with extra years on him, he was still tall, dark, and exotically attractive to her and he would always be so. He'd taught her to be sure of herself, to trust in him, and trust in their love. And even when she felt the most unattractive, he always made sure to show her how attractive she truly was to him.

“What are you thinking about, Bobby?” he smiled crookedly at her, taking in her bright eyes and dainty nose. She smiled warmly at him. She was in her thirties now, almost thirty-one, but she didn’t look a day over the age she’d been when he’d fallen in love with her. She was still classy, sassy, and a bit smart- assy and he wouldn’t have her another way.

“That I can’t believe we’re here now.”

“I can. I believe it and I love it. And I plan to enjoy it for the rest of my days remaining on this world.” He tapped her nose with one finger. “I just can’t believe that I didn’t try to fuck you way earlier than when I did. I wish I had known what a killer body you hid beneath those scrubs of yours.”

Poppy rolled her eyes again.

“Wow.”

“That’s exactly what I thought when I saw you with that scrub stuck over your head,” Tora chuckled.

“Tora?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too, Bobby.”

He held her face gently in his hands as he kissed her. 

She smiled into the kiss when she thought about how she  hadn’t had a migraine in  _ years _ ....

~THE END~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people! I am aliiiiiiiveeee.
> 
> So, bad news. THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER....  
> I know, I'm bad, I'm sorry!  
> I've had lots of fun writing this story, and I'm sorry it has taken way too long to get here, but here we are.  
> I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it, and I thank everyone that has stuck around for the ride.  
> Thank you so much for being understanding and kind and not getting annoyed with this tired old nurse.
> 
> IF you follow my other story "The Bodyguard and the Painter", you're probably wondering what's going on with it. Well, as of right now, it's still on hiatus and will probably be for a bit longer. I have a lot of things going on with my life right now and i don't want to promise you guys things i won't be able to keep.
> 
> Please hang tight. I'm in the middle of getting more inspiration (from someone ;D ) for that story. maybe some more spicy scenes.... lol
> 
> Anyways, here it is. The end. Thank you everyone! Hang tight!
> 
> OH. PS. Follow me (if you'd like) on the TAPAS app. I have a completed work there titled "The Thin Line Between Hate and Love" (completely unrelated Doc and Nurse story) and one work in progress "Soul on Fire" (which has more serious, traumatic situations).
> 
> Thank you again! Love you guys!!!
> 
> Stay safe out there!!!
> 
> ~Amethyst.


End file.
